The Father and Head of the UGCC signed a Decree on adopting a document “Preparation of candidates for priesthood in the UGCC responding to challenges and peculiarities of a modern culture”.
“Formation of future priests is one of the most essential tasks of the Church. Since, the future of Church depends on how priests will be growing in human, pastoral, intellectual and spiritual dimensions”, the Decree states.
The Decree was approved by the Synod of Bishops of the Synod of the UGCC held online on March 30 – September 29, 2021.
The text that follows consists of a general introduction which refers to formation of priestly vocations, particularly about programs for priestly upbringing of the UGCC, the role of an eparchial bishop and a family in forming priestly vocations.
The second chapter is about the process of accepting candidates to a seminary, norms of acceptance and expulsion from the seminary, a process of writing and keeping characteristics of a seminarian.
The third chapter is written in a form of an educational community, which is human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral upbringing of seminarians.
The forth chapter speaks about a constant upbringing of priests.