Priest training in the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
The diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart attaches particular importance to the “cosmopolitan catholicity” shaped by Max Seckler in its priest training . Therefore, the training takes place in three different institutions.
Entry qualifications
Entry qualifications are practical experience in the community and the general university entrance qualification . The Abitur can be made up at the St. Pirmin College . After acquiring the Abitur, the course usually begins with a philological year at the Ambrosianum pre-seminar .
Ambrosianum Tübingen
The Ambrosianum Tübingen , theological-propaedeutic year of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, is on the one hand a philological-theological year at the diocesan language institute Ambrosianum of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart. The state exams Graecum and Großes Latinum as well as exams in Biblical Greek outsourced by the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen can be taken here. The Ambrosianum is thus the answer to the dwindling number of humanistic grammar schools and facilitates entry into the study of theology in Tübingen with lessons in philosophy and exegesis. Another specialty is a separate Hebrew course, which ends with the Hebraicum and is intended to impart basic methods of exegesis. On the other hand, it is the preparatory course for priestly training, which is to be officially integrated into the training program of the Ambrosianum from 2010.
Episcopal Theologian Convict Wilhelmsstift
The students of the Wilhelmsstift study at the Catholic-Theological Faculty of the University of Tübingen, the study of theology comprises ten semesters.
Prerequisites for admission to the first course at Wilhelmsstift are the great Latinum, Graecum and Hebraicum. In exceptional cases, for example if only one language has to be acquired, an admission will still take place. That is why most of the students begin their studies at the Ambrosianum Tübingen.
Training dimensions
In Tübingen, theological education is largely carried out by the Catholic faculty of the university. The Wilhelmsstift participates in accompanying scientific events, so-called repetitions. Two young priests from the management team of the house, who have the title Repetent , are commissioned by the bishop .
A priest, the spiritual, is available for the spiritual accompaniment of the students . He works with the individual courses, with smaller groups and in individual discussions.
The pastoral qualification, which is listed as the third dimension in the framework, is used by other training elements in Wilhelmsstift such as assignments in hospitals, in youth work, in an industrial internship and in a parish, which are mandatory. Two to three weekends are planned for events throughout the house, plus course and group weekends.
Education
The students of the Wilhelmsstift study at the Catholic-Theological Faculty of the Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, the study of theology comprises ten semesters.
Anyone who has already acquired the great Latinum, Graecum and Hebraicum, or at most who has yet to acquire one, can be included in the first Wilhelmsstift course. Therefore, most of the students begin their studies at the Ambrosianum Pre-Theological Seminary.
Duration
The theology course usually lasts five years:
- 2 years of basic studies at the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Tübingen: 1st and 2nd course
- 1 year at a foreign Catholic theological faculty (see Externitas ): 3rd course
- 2 years main course at the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Tübingen: 4th and 5th course
Undergraduate studies
Propaedeutic
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The new first course begins with a preparatory course. In this six-week phase before the start of studies, the new diocesant theologians should find each other as a group, get to know the life of the household and get an initial introduction to the study of theology. The six weeks are devoted to different topics:
- “Introductory week”: convivere - condividere - conferre
- Biblical Basic Course: Fundamentals of Church Scripture Interpretation
- Systematic basic course: Basic features of the ecclesiastical form of faith
- Basic liturgical course: basics of church celebrations
- Diaconal project
- Places and shapes of lived faith
Intermediate diploma
The first two years are characterized by the “professional profile of priest” and the introduction to pastoral psychology as well as a “communication curriculum”. Here special emphasis is placed on the trained handling of problems on the communication level. After the fourth semester, the preliminary examination of the main theological examination is taken. Then the main course begins.
Externitas (away year)
The fifth and sixth semesters are already part of the main course and are taken at a foreign university, usually even abroad. Here, great importance is attached to independence, so the students should take care of their own accommodation and not live in seminaries in other dioceses. After completing the semester abroad, the students decide again for or against the priesthood career in a confidential conversation with the director.
Main course
From the seventh to the tenth semester that will be spent again in Tübingen, the two sections of the final exam will be taken and the written admission thesis will be written. After completing the main theological examination, the final church examination can be converted into a state diploma, as both courses are identical in content and only the chairperson of the examination differs: the bishop. Even the exam is taken with the other diploma students.
Now there is a final meeting with the director to clarify whether one really wants to continue on the path of the priesthood. This is followed by a written application to the Rottenburg seminary .
Rottenburg seminary
After graduation, there is another practical part of priestly training. This takes place in the Rottenburg seminary and deals with liturgy, community work and pastoral psychology as well as other practice-relevant areas. In this two-year formation there is the ordination of the deacon, the following (one-year) diaconate and at the end there is the ordination of priests. Overall, the training to become a priest takes about 7 years.
