Optatam totius
Optatam totius (OT) is the name of the decree on the formation of priests formulated by the Second Vatican Council and approved by Pope Paul VI on October 28, 1965 , after its opening words . was promulgated .
General Laws
This decree stipulates general requirements for the formation of priests, the primary goal being the “renewal of the entire church , which largely depends on the priestly service”. The importance of priestly formation and the guiding principles to be applied are emphasized, taking into account that priestly formation is necessary for all priests of the world and religious clergy and for all rites because of the unity of the Catholic priesthood . The responsible bishops' conferences were instructed to draw up general regulations for the different regional and local events and characteristics .
content
The document is divided into the following sections:
- I. The reorganization of the formation of priests in the individual peoples
- II. Greater promotion of the priestly professions
- III. The order of the seminaries
- IV. Care for more thorough spiritual formation
- V. Redesign of ecclesiastical studies
- VI. The promotion of pastoral formation in the narrower sense
- VII. Continuing education after graduation
Closing word
It is declared that the Council Fathers feel connected to the work of the Council of Trent and trustfully entrust this task to the leaders of the seminaries . The seminarians exhorted the Council to live in the knowledge that they are entrusted with the hope of the Church and that they should therefore accept and conscientiously carry out these provisions.
literature
- LThK ², The Second Vatican Council II, Freiburg 1967, 309–355. Latin-German parallel text, introduced in detail and commented on by Josef Neuner .