Intellectual Formation
“What distinguishes the academic, formative and research approach of the system of ecclesiastical studies… is the vital intellectual principle of the unity in difference of knowledge and respect for its multiple, correlated and convergent expressions.” — Veritatis Gaudium 4c
To achieve these objectives, seminarians actively participate in classroom instruction, academic examinations, research presentations, and comprehensive theological symposia.
Academic Curriculum
Two-Year Philosophy Course
The philosophy programme provides seminarians with a strong intellectual foundation through the study of philosophy, preparing them for advanced theological studies and future priestly ministry.
Regency Programme
A significant component of intellectual and pastoral preparation is the Year of Regency.
Following the completion of the Two-Year Philosophy Course, seminarians undertake one year of pastoral praxis in various parishes.
During this period:
- Seminarians serve individually and in groups.
- They work under the guidance of Seminary authorities and Parish Priests.
- They gain first-hand pastoral experience within parish communities.
- They receive practical preparation for their future priestly ministry.
- They encounter the cultural diversity present within the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, particularly in its mission territories.
The Regency Year enables seminarians to integrate their academic knowledge with practical pastoral experience before proceeding to theological formation.
Three-Year Theology Course
The theology programme is conducted through the Good Shepherd Institute of Theology (GSIT).
The curriculum provides systematic theological education that equips seminarians with a profound understanding of Catholic doctrine, Sacred Scripture, moral theology, pastoral theology, liturgy, canon law, and other ecclesiastical disciplines.
Comprehensive Examination
At the completion of the Third Year of Theology, seminarians undertake the Comprehensive Examination in Theology, demonstrating their understanding of the theological disciplines studied throughout the programme.
Fourth Year Pastoral Enrichment
Following the theology programme, seminarians complete a Pastoral Enrichment Course cum Diaconate Ministry at the Pastoral Institute, St. Pius X, Old Goa, where academic learning is integrated with practical pastoral experience.
Pastoral Formation
Preparing seminarians for the practical exercise of priestly ministry by providing opportunities for missionary work, liturgical service, catechesis, and pastoral leadership.
I
Missionary Formation
The Rector of the Seminary, being the Coordinator of the Pontifical Mission Organization (Goa), involves the seminarians in the World Mission Sunday in the Archdiocese in the following way:
- The seminarians organize the distribution of the Mission Sunday Material to the different parishes and institutions in the Archdiocese (e.g. Posters, Calendars, Envelopes, copies of the Mission Sunday message of the Holy Father, a copy of a special liturgy is prepared and organized for the Mission Sunday celebration, etc.).
- A Course on Missiology is conducted for the students of Second Year Theology.
- Mission Academy is held on the occasion of the feast of St. Joseph Vaz on 16th January. A research paper on the missionary dimension of the Church is presented; skits on the life of St. Joseph Vaz, St. Francis Xavier, St. Theresa of Child Jesus and other missionaries are staged; and sharing of missionary experiences by a missionary form part of the Mission Academy.
- Mission exposure programmes are organized during the summer vacations.
- Participation in the annual National Assembly of the Diocesan Directors of PMS organized by the National Director of PMO-India as well as the CBCI Commission for Evangelization.
II
Missionary Formation
Besides the Courses in Liturgy in the Academic Curriculum, the Animator of Liturgy forms the seminarians in the practical dimension for the animation of liturgy.
III
Small Christian Communities (SCC)
Seminarians are given opportunities to get involved the animation of the SCCs in the neighbouring parishes.
IV
Catechetical Formation
The seminarians who are sent to the parishes for gaining experience in imparting catechesis and in other pastoral activities like altar server, etc.; The III Year Theology Seminarians go for weekend ministry, while the I and the II Year Theology Seminarians and the II Year Philosophy Seminarians go for Sunday Ministry. Besides, the Catechetical Unit of Rachol Seminary also organises formation programmes for the Catechists.
V
Charitable Formation
St. Joseph Conference of Society of St. Vincent de Paul helps the seminarians to grow in the charitable dimension of their formation. They visit the poor, sick, elderly in their homes, hospitals, and old-age homes, every week. The economically poor are given financial help. The seminarians devise various means to collect funds. Besides, they also organise the annual Day of the Beneficiaries, Annual Visit to the poor and marginalised, etc.
VI
Musical Formation
Music is part of the seminary academic curriculum: during the Two-Year Philosophy Course, the seminarians learn notation and theory of music; and during the Theology Course, they learn Indian Music, Gregorian Chant and Liturgical Music for the first, second and third year respectively. Besides, the seminary is known for its TTBB “Santa Cecilia Choir”, started in 1897 and conducted by the Professor of Music of the Seminary. It is composed of around 16 seminarians as its members. The seminarians also have the opportunity to learn string-brass woodwind and other musical instruments.
VII
Literary Formation
Literary and Cultural activities form part of the overall formation. L.A.C.A.R.S, i.e. Literary and Cultural Activities of the Rachol Seminary, helps the seminarians to discover and display their various talents, under the orientation of its Animator. Besides, L.A.C.A.R.S organizes Amchem Daiz (Seminar on Goan Heritage) wherein students from neighbouring colleges and schools take part.
VIII
Prison Ministry
A group of seminarians, together with their animator visit the prison and organize relevant programmes (sports, cultural, religious) for the prisoners, and get them involved.
IX
Formation in Sports
The seminarians are motivated to actively engage themselves in sports activities both indoor and outdoor games. Various tournaments are organized, which culminate in the Seminary Sports Day.
X
Inter-Religious Dialogue Formation
he seminarians, under the guidance of the animator, are formed to dialogue with other faiths by organizing seminars and meetings as well as visiting and participating in the festivals of our brothers and sisters of other faiths. The seminarians visit our Hindu families during the Ganesh Festival. Every year an Inter-Religious Meeting is organized on Gandhi Jayanti (2nd October).
XI
Eco-Friendly Formation
The seminarians are initiated towards the love for nature by means of taking care of the gardens, flower-vases, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, rice fields, piggery, etc. They also manage the waste and garbage produced in the seminary.
Spiritual Formation
Focuses on helping the seminarian to have a deep personal experience of Jesus Christ and to grow in the Spirit. Emphasis is laid on making the seminarians have a love for prayers, spiritual reading, active participation in the Eucharist, and an annual 30-day Retreat to discover intimacy with God.
Human Formation
Aims at helping seminarians to be humane and grow in the human values of honesty, sacrifice, service, and balanced interpersonal relationships. Activities include sports, cultural events, group outings, and specialized sessions in personality development and emotional maturity.
Spiritual Formation focuses on helping the seminarian to have a deep personal experience of Jesus Christ and to grow in the Spirit. A lot of emphasis is laid on making the seminarians have a love for prayers, both personal and communitarian prayers, Prayer of the Church, Scriptural and Spiritual Reading, active participation in the Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration, Spiritual Direction, Monthly Spiritual Recollections, Annual Retreat, Psycho- Spiritual Growth Groups, Silence, etc. At the end of the First Year of Theology the seminarian has do a 30-day Retreat. The goal of the spiritual formation is to help the seminarian to be a person of God experience, who lives Christ’s values of intimacy with God, love of neighbour, detachment from material comforts, and value the gift of celibacy as a future priest.
Human Formation aims at helping seminarians to be humane and grow in the human values of honesty, sacrifice, service, foster healthy relationships, respect for authority, community spirit, human maturity, discipline, and know one’s strengths and weaknesses. Various types of activities and sessions are organized to promote human formation of the seminarians: Apart from the daily community activities such as sports, cultural, group-wise outings/recreations as well as love for manual work through gardening, farming, different type of house work, etc., there are special sessions organized to help in their personality development, self-discovery, psycho-sexual development, emotional and affective maturity, etiquette, psycho-spirituality, etc.
Objectives
Pastoral Formation prepares seminarians for the practical exercise of priestly ministry by providing opportunities for missionary work, liturgical service, catechesis, charitable outreach, interreligious dialogue, cultural engagement, and pastoral leadership.
The Seminary offers a comprehensive programme that allows seminarians to experience various dimensions of the Church’s mission while growing in service to God’s people.
Areas of Pastoral Formation
I. Missionary Formation
The Rector of the Seminary, being the Coordinator of the Pontifical Mission Organization (Goa), involves the seminarians in the World Mission Sunday in the Archdiocese in the following way:
- The seminarians organize the distribution of the Mission Sunday Material to the different parishes and institutions in the Archdiocese (e.g. Posters, Calendars, Envelopes, copies of the Mission Sunday message of the Holy Father, a copy of a special liturgy is prepared and organized for the Mission Sunday celebration, etc.).
- A Course on Missiology is conducted for the students of Second Year Theology.
- Mission Academy is held on the occasion of the feast of St. Joseph Vaz on 16th January. A research paper on the missionary dimension of the Church is presented; skits on the life of St. Joseph Vaz, St. Francis Xavier, St. Theresa of Child Jesus and other missionaries are staged; and sharing of missionary experiences by a missionary form part of the Mission Academy.
- Mission exposure programmes are organized during the summer vacations.
- Participation in the annual National Assembly of the Diocesan Directors of PMS organized by the National Director of PMO-India as well as the CBCI Commission for Evangelization.
II. Liturgical Formation
Besides the Courses in Liturgy in the Academic Curriculum, the Animator of Liturgy forms the seminarians in the practical dimension for the animation of liturgy.
III. Small Christian Communities (SCC)
he seminarians are given opportunities to get involved the animation of the SCCs in the neighbouring parishes.
IV. Catechetical Formation
The seminarians who are sent to the parishes for gaining experience in imparting catechesis and in other pastoral activities like altar server, etc.; The III Year Theology Seminarians go for weekend ministry, while the I and the II Year Theology Seminarians and the II Year Philosophy Seminarians go for Sunday Ministry. Besides, the Catechetical Unit of Rachol Seminary also organises formation programmes for the Catechists.
V. Charitable Formation
St. Joseph Conference of Society of St. Vincent de Paul helps the seminarians to grow in the charitable dimension of their formation. They visit the poor, sick, elderly in their homes, hospitals, and old-age homes, every week. The economically poor are given financial help. The seminarians devise various means to collect funds. Besides, they also organise the annual Day of the Beneficiaries, Annual Visit to the poor and marginalised, etc.
VI. Musical Formation
Music is part of the seminary academic curriculum: during the Two-Year Philosophy Course, the seminarians learn notation and theory of music; and during the Theology Course, they learn Indian Music, Gregorian Chant and Liturgical Music for the first, second and third year respectively. Besides, the seminary is known for its TTBB “Santa Cecilia Choir”, started in 1897 and conducted by the Professor of Music of the Seminary. It is composed of around 16 seminarians as its members. The seminarians also have the opportunity to learn string-brass woodwind and other musical instruments.
VII. Literary Formation
Literary and Cultural activities form part of the overall formation. L.A.C.A.R.S, i.e. Literary and Cultural Activities of the Rachol Seminary, helps the seminarians to discover and display their various talents, under the orientation of its Animator. Besides, L.A.C.A.R.S organizes Amchem Daiz (Seminar on Goan Heritage) wherein students from neighbouring colleges and schools take part.
VII. Prison Ministry
A group of seminarians, together with their animator visit the prison and organize relevant programmes (sports, cultural, religious) for the prisoners, and get them involved.
IX. Formation in Sports
The seminarians are motivated to actively engage themselves in sports activities both indoor and outdoor games. Various tournaments are organized, which culminate in the Seminary Sports Day.
X. Inter-Religious Dialogue Formation
he seminarians, under the guidance of the animator, are formed to dialogue with other faiths by organizing seminars and meetings as well as visiting and participating in the festivals of our brothers and sisters of other faiths. The seminarians visit our Hindu families during the Ganesh Festival. Every year an Inter-Religious Meeting is organized on Gandhi Jayanti (2nd October).
XI. Eco-Friendly Formation
The seminarians are initiated towards the love for nature by means of taking care of the gardens, flower-vases, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, rice fields, piggery, etc. They also manage the waste and garbage produced in the seminary.
Vision of Ecclesiastical Studies
Pope Francis describes the distinctive character of ecclesiastical studies in Veritatis Gaudium:
“What distinguishes the academic, formative and research approach of the system of ecclesiastical studies, on the level of both content and method, is the vital intellectual principle of the unity in difference of knowledge and respect for its multiple, correlated and convergent expressions.” (Veritatis Gaudium 4c)
This vision guides the Seminary’s academic formation by encouraging unity of knowledge, intellectual openness, rigorous scholarship, and respect for the diverse expressions of truth within the Church’s teaching tradition.
Academic Formation
To achieve these objectives, seminarians actively participate in various academic activities throughout their years of formation, including:
- Regular classroom instruction
- Academic examinations
- Research paper presentations
- Participation in seminars
- Participation in symposia
- Comprehensive theological studies
Academic Curriculum
The present academic curriculum at the Seminary includes:
Two-Year Philosophy Course
The philosophy programme provides seminarians with a strong intellectual foundation through the study of philosophy, preparing them for advanced theological studies and future priestly ministry.
Regency Programme
A significant component of intellectual and pastoral preparation is the Year of Regency.
Following the completion of the Two-Year Philosophy Course, seminarians undertake one year of pastoral praxis in various parishes.
During this period:
- Seminarians serve individually and in groups.
- They work under the guidance of Seminary authorities and Parish Priests.
- They gain first-hand pastoral experience within parish communities.
- They receive practical preparation for their future priestly ministry.
- They encounter the cultural diversity present within the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, particularly in its mission territories.
The Regency Year enables seminarians to integrate their academic knowledge with practical pastoral experience before proceeding to theological formation.
Three-Year Theology Course
The theology programme is conducted through the Good Shepherd Institute of Theology (GSIT).
The curriculum provides systematic theological education that equips seminarians with a profound understanding of Catholic doctrine, Sacred Scripture, moral theology, pastoral theology, liturgy, canon law, and other ecclesiastical disciplines.
Comprehensive Examination
At the completion of the Third Year of Theology, seminarians undertake the Comprehensive Examination in Theology, demonstrating their understanding of the theological disciplines studied throughout the programme.
Fourth Year Pastoral Enrichment
Following the theology programme, seminarians complete a Pastoral Enrichment Course cum Diaconate Ministry at the Pastoral Institute, St. Pius X, Old Goa, where academic learning is integrated with practical pastoral experience.