Summer Program for Diocesan Seminarians
Introducing an updated curriculum that meets the dynamic needs of our seminarians
Background
For the past two years, a group of adjunct faculty, staff and spiritual directors have prayerfully evaluated the Summer Program and how IPF can best continue to serve the Church's needs regarding spiritual formation in light of the new formation documents (Ratio Fundamentalis, PPF 6, and the introduction of the Propaedeutic Stage of Formation).
Meeting the Needs
From this evaluation, we saw a need to be agile in response to the changing formation needs of seminarians and dioceses. IPF was once seen as an “initial” experience of spiritual formation for seminarians. However, the now-required propaedeutic stage of formation, or spirituality year, has injected spiritual formation earlier into the itinerary of priestly formation.
We clarified that the Summer Program for Seminarians aims to bridge the discipleship (philosophy) stage and the configuration (theology) stage of formation toward priestly ordination. It presupposes that seminarians in formation have completed the propaedeutic experience and are well into the discipleship stage or have even completed discipleship. It strengthens the foundations already received in the previous stages of formation and prepares seminarians for a lifelong commitment to friendship with Jesus Christ in contemplative prayer and priestly service to others.
Coming in Summer 2025
Here are some highlights of the updated curriculum that will be implemented in the IPF Summer Program 2025 scheduled for May 25, 2025 to July 5, 2025.
Essential Continuity
- Our presence on the Creighton University campus, with use of residential housing and facilities and liturgies at St. John’s Church.
- The eight-day silent retreat, a focal point of the Summer Program.
Primary Changes
- Moving to a six-week residential on-campus certificate program. Moving away from academic credit to a certificate program affords us more flexibility toward adult faith formation. It is focused less on graduate-level credits and more on preparation for the next formation stage.
- There will be one continuous curriculum, no longer four distinct courses.
- As part of the updated curriculum, we will utilize visiting presenters throughout the summer to ensure a cohesive program with an interplay of classroom interactions, large group presentations, facilitated small groups, the eight-day silent-directed retreat, spiritual direction and liturgy.
Dates:
May 25th, 2025 through July 5, 2025.
Location:
The IPF program is based at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. During the summer IPF shares Creighton’s facilities while conducting its own liturgical and residential life.
Cost:
- $5,080.00, Programming Costs
- $1,680.00, Housing Costs (6 weeks)
- $6,760.00, Total for participants (not including meal plan)
Meal Plan Options
- $1,194.00 - 21 meals per week in dining hall
- $960.00 - Any 14 meals per week in dining hall