9 Qualities of an Intellectually Well-Formed Seminarian
Seminarians often conflate intellectual formation with academics, and while the two do overlap, they are distinct categories. Intellectual formation is more than passing exams or making good grades; it is about forming the seminarian so that he can think with the mind of Christ and the mind of the Church. This formation is about working to develop habits that allow him to study better and to communicate what he has learned. While these are not necessarily measurable, they must be qualities that the formation staff can evaluate. I would like to offer nine qualities that, along with the benchmarks already provided by the Program of Priestly Formation (6th edition), can be used to evaluate seminarians in the intellectual dimension of priestly formation. These nine qualities are not meant to replace the benchmarks of the PPF but to complement them, giving formators concrete qualities to observe in the daily life of seminarians. Seen together, they demonstrate that intellectual formation cannot be reduced to academics alone but is interwoven with the other dimensions of priestly formation.
1. Thinks with the Church
The first quality of an intellectually well-formed seminarian is that he “thinks with the church” (sentire cum ecclesia). His is an orthodoxy that draws from the sources of Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium of the Church. It is a vibrant and living orthodoxy that demonstrates a knowledge of tradition but is balanced, avoiding the pitfalls of a fluid progressivism and a rigidity that dwells too much in the past to the neglect of later magisterial teachings and approved or permitted theological developments. In previous decades, the temptation was to reject orthodoxy and the authority of the Magisterium; today the opposite is true. Today’s seminarian is more likely to be tempered by a reactionary tendency towards anachronism disguised as an adherence to tradition.
In describing the ideal “man of the church” in his book The Splendor of the Church, Henri de Lubac says that he will love her past and revere her patrimony. However, “the last thing he will do will be to devote himself to a cult of nostalgia, either in order to escape into an antiquity which he can reshape as he likes, or in order to condemn the Church of his own day” (176). This fidelity also includes an ability to grasp the legitimate development of doctrine which is guided by the practice of consecrated study entrusted to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Formators can notice the qualities of a vibrantly orthodox seminarian by his love for tradition while manifesting an openness to the movement of the Spirit. Does he instinctively turn to Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium as the primary sources for his theological reflection? Does he speak about the Church’s past with reverence but without nostalgia? Does he refer to her present with fidelity but without cynicism? In classroom discussions, especially when theological or liturgical disagreements arise, does he balance conviction with charity? And does his orthodoxy naturally flow into orthopraxy, shaping the way he prays, how he relates to others?
2. Teachable
Teachability is a crucial part of the seminarian’s intellectual formation. This quality is intimately connected to both the human and spiritual dimensions of formation. Teachability is best understood as an interior receptivity—a humble readiness to be formed by truth that is imparted. It is a form of openness that is grounded in humility in the face of truth and docility. Metanoia (conversion of the mind) is evidence that his mind and heart can truly change, in response to grace.
There is the ever-present danger of intellectual pride for the seminarian who is tempted to think that he knows more than his professors or formators. Being teachable does not mean that he thoughtlessly accepts everything that he is taught; it is important for him to ask questions and to wrestle with ideas, and even respectfully push back at times. One of the most effective ways to help with growth in teachability is ministry to the poor, which often helps the seminarian become aware of his own intellectual and spiritual poverty.
But there must be an implicit trust in the faculty and formators. True formation cannot happen when the seminarian is guided by a hermeneutic of suspicion. Of course, this is a two-way street: the teacher or formator must first show the seminarian the respect that is due to him if he hopes for him to give him his trust.
Formators can notice this quality in the seminarian’s overall receptivity towards learning and formation. Does he show an openness to constructive criticism? Can he receive correction without becoming defensive? Does he show respect to faculty and formators even when he might disagree? Does he show signs of ongoing metanoia?
3. Loves Learning
The future priest must demonstrate a love of learning. The Program of Priestly Formation is clear when it states that “disciples are learners” (§263). First and foremost there should be an eagerness to learn about the person of Jesus. The seminarian should show “signs of intellectual curiosity and love of learning” (§271). He does this by asking questions and being engaged in class and in conferences.
From that should flow a passion for both theological and philosophical truths. But not just in these areas; there should be an overall desire to learn from a wide array of topics. This demonstrates how this quality is rooted also in proper human formation, because the desire to learn is an essential intuition of human nature. This love of learning is not simply an accumulation of information but is informed by a sense of childlike wonder and awe before the mystery of God and creation. Wonder opens the seminarian to truth as a gift received with a grateful heart. This sense of wonder is what transforms study into contemplation of God.
A particular manifestation of this passion for knowledge is a love of reading. Young people today often struggle to find a love for reading, so formators should do what they can to foster a passion for it. Pope Francis, in his 2023 Letter on the Role of Literature in Formation, highlighted the formative power of literature on the sacramental imagination, encouraging seminarians to cultivate a love of reading fiction and literature.
It would be a tragedy, however, if this intellectual curiosity did not stretch into the days after the seminarian’s studies. Love of learning should be a lifelong passion and is essential to the ongoing formation of the priest. As St. John Paul II wrote in Pastores Dabo Vobis, “The intellectual dimension of formation likewise needs to be continually fostered through the priest’s entire life” (§51).
This quality becomes evident in the seminarian’s daily habits and interests, which reveal whether he truly delights in learning. Does he ask questions outside of class? Does he demonstrate initiative in reading beyond what is required? Does he share insights out of genuine enthusiasm rather than a need to show off? Does he speak with healthy curiosity about different intellectual topics? Does he allow wonder to shape his prayer as well as his study?
4. Thoughtful and Reflective
In regard to intellectual formation, thoughtfulness refers to having the capacity to ponder deeply, to avoid rushing to conclusions, and to study in a fruitful way. A thoughtful seminarian demonstrates an inner gravitas that comes from patient reflection on truth and his own experience. In conversations inside and outside of the classroom, it is clear that he thinks deeply.
This quality develops in silence and contemplation, where the seminarian resists the temptation for quick and easy answers. It is closely tied to prayer, since authentic reflection naturally draws what is learned into dialogue with God. His answers are not superficial but show depth of heart as well as mind. His intellectual formation thus becomes integrated with his spiritual and human growth.
Formators can discern this quality in the deliberate manner with which a seminarian approaches his studies and his formation. Does he take time to answer questions with depth rather than superficiality? Do his papers and homilies show evidence of sustained reflection? In conversation and spiritual direction, does he show that he has thought deeply not only about his studies but also about his own life experience?
5. Takes Ownership of Studies
The seminarian must be capable of taking ownership of his studies. This is firmly rooted in his human formation and time management skills. This quality is most clear in the good study habits of the seminarian. He will demonstrate a discipline in maintaining his horarium, a commitment to a set number of hours of study a week, and diligence in resisting the ever-present distractions that we face in our hyper-connected culture.
It is clear to most professors if the student is giving his best work and desires academic excellence. Although the seminarian may not make the best grades, it is obvious that he is not just trying to get by. This is evident in his comportment and participation in class. This habit also guards against burnout and prepares him for a lifetime of priestly study beyond seminary.
This discipline might best be described as the virtue of studiousness, the virtue that helps the individual grow in the other intellectual virtues while resisting unhealthy curiosity. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, this virtue is more than being studious and serious about one’s studies; it is the virtue that helps one rightly order the natural desire for knowledge (cf. ST II-II, q166).
This quality becomes obvious in the seminarian’s discipline and responsibility towards his schoolwork. Does he stay faithful to his horarium? How does he manage distractions? Does he come prepared for class and submit assignments on time? Is there evidence that he is giving his best effort even if his grades are average? Does he accept responsibility if he falls short of expectations?
6. Broad-Minded in the Search for Truth
Another quality formators should look for in a seminarian is a broad-minded search for truth. This is similar to teachability; however, teachability is more receptive to truth, while broad-mindedness is more active in searching for truth. Broad-mindedness, as the active willingness to search for truth, is more outward oriented than teachability.
Taking his inspiration from Aquinas, who found truth in Aristotle that could be incorporated into Catholic theology, it is a willingness to accept all that is true, regardless of where he finds it. Joseph Pieper writes in his Guide to Thomas Aquinas that “neither the philosopher nor the theologian can presume to exclude any available information on the subject at hand” (151). With it comes a willingness to dialogue and honestly engage with new ideas.
It is the opposite of narrow-mindedness, which St. John Henry Newman speaks about with great distaste in his 14th Oxford University Sermon:
Narrow minds . . . have already parceled out to their own satisfaction the whole world of knowledge; they have drawn their lines, and formed their classes, and given to each opinion, argument, principle, and party, its own locality; they profess to know where to find everything; and they cannot learn any other disposition.
Broad-mindedness contains the ability to think critically, but to accept the complexity of truth. Here I think of the phrase popularly, but incorrectly, attributed to Aquinas: “Rarely affirm. Seldom deny. Always distinguish.” However, the mistranslation offers its own truth that sums up this quality of broad-mindedness. Broad-mindedness is not a thoughtless relativism but the courage to humbly enter the vast field of truth with prudent discernment.
A seminarian’s broad-mindedness can be discerned in how he engages with perspectives and people different from his own. Is he open to discussion? Does he have the ability to dialogue respectfully? Can he distinguish and sense nuance or does he seem to fall into black-and-white thinking? Is he able to read sources that differ from his perspective? Is he willing to admit when he does not know something?
7. Thinks Holistically and Synthetically
The seminarian should be a “holistic” or synthetic thinker. Inspired by Bloom’s taxonomy, which describes different levels of learning and understanding, the seminarian proves that he can transcend the lower levels of remembering and understanding to applying and analyzing (making connections), then to being able to evaluate and create new original work.
Holistic thinking is the ability to see that “truth is symphonic” and to see the unity of all knowledge. Newman describes it as “an insight into the bearing and influence of each part upon every other; without which there is no whole, and could be no centre. It is the knowledge not only of things, but of their mutual relations. It is organized, and therefore living knowledge” (14th Oxford University Sermon).
This is especially true in the areas of theology where the candidate for priesthood is challenged to be able to “synthesize”—to see essentials in order to get to the heart of the matter. But to do this effectively, the seminarian must be able to make what he learns his own—to integrate, not simply regurgitate what he has learned. This synthetic ability is indispensable for preaching, catechesis, and spiritual direction, where a priest must move from principles to concrete application.
Formators can see this quality in how a seminarian makes connections between different areas of knowledge and life. Can the seminarian draw connections between philosophy, theology and lived experience? Can he synthesize complex ideas and identify the essentials? Do his essays show the ability to integrate sources instead of just offering disconnected ideas? Is there a sense that he has made the ideas his own?
8. Grows in Wisdom
Formators should look for a growth in wisdom. For Aristotle, it was an intellectual virtue; in the Old Testament, it is described as a gift of the Spirit; but in the Christian perspective, it is the ability to see things as God sees them, to put all knowledge in right order. Joseph Ratzinger writes in Principles of Catholic Theology that wisdom comes when you walk with Jesus and learn to see things as he does (p. 358).
Wisdom blossoms when prayer and study flow into and from each other. The seminarian should be taking what he is learning in class and discussing it with Christ in his prayer. This shows the bond between intellectual formation and discipleship, an integration of study and prayer.
Growth in wisdom is harder to measure, but formators can sense it in the seminarian’s prayerful integration of study with life. Does he connect classroom material with his personal prayer and discernment? Does he share insights that show prayerful depth, not just memorization? Does he speak with charity? Do peers and professors notice a growth in maturity and wisdom?
9. Applies Knowledge Pastorally
Finally, the seminarian should demonstrate the ability to pastorally apply knowledge. The Program of Priestly Formation repeats this in several places. First it says, “Intellectual formation through the study of theology enables priests to contemplate, share, and communicate the mysteries of faith with others. In this way, it has an essentially pastoral orientation” (§267). It later reiterates this point: “Theological studies should be designed with the pastoral goal in view, recognizing that the pastoral character of priestly formation applies to intellectual formation as well as to the other areas of formation” (§320).
The study of philosophy and theology should not be simply abstract and theoretical; it must be grounded in reality. This will come with pastoral experience, but still the seminarian should always be asking, “How can I communicate this to others?” He should be able to communicate it in love, with great respect for the person and in a positive and winsome way, not contrarian or reactive.
However, there can be a temptation in seminary to reduce the gathering of knowledge to something purely utilitarian, always asking if it will be useful. Pope Benedict counters this tendency in a Letter to Seminarians where he writes:
The point is not simply to learn evidently useful things, but to understand and appreciate the internal structure of the faith as a whole, so that it can become a response to people’s questions, which on the surface change from one generation to another yet ultimately remain the same. For this reason it is important to move beyond the changing questions of the moment in order to grasp the real questions, and so to understand how the answers are real answers.
In short, pastoral application flows from consecrated study. In the imagery of St. Bernard of Clairvaux in his 18th Sermon on the Song of Songs, the priest is not a canal that merely transfers information, but a reservoir that overflows with what has first filled it.
This ability is seen in how a seminarian translates theological truths into language and action that serves others. Can he adapt complex ideas for catechesis or preaching? Does he avoid being combative and argumentative? Does he speak with charity and respect in discussions about pastoral issues? Does it seem that his study is ordered towards service, not simply making good grades?
Conclusion
Taken together, these nine qualities show that intellectual formation is not simply a narrow concern for grades or academic performance but a holistic shaping of the person. These nine qualities show that intellectual formation cannot be separated from the other dimensions of priestly formation: it flows from prayer (spiritual), requires discipline and humility (human), and is ordered toward service of God’s people (pastoral). These qualities give formators concrete signs to notice in classroom participation, pastoral work, community life, and prayer, so that evaluation of intellectual formation stays holistic and integrated.
Formation, then, aims not simply at producing future shepherds who know a great deal, but disciples whose study is consecrated to Christ and integrated into their spiritual and pastoral lives. A seminarian who is well-formed intellectually in these qualities will be prepared not only for priestly ordination but for a lifetime of service, lifelong learning, the competence to teach, and to think with the mind of Christ.
