More than fifty seminarians from various Spanish dioceses participated between June 29 and July 12 in the II Summer Formation Days, held at the Casa Diocesana San Manuel González in Málaga and coordinated by the Episcopal Subcommittee for Seminaries of the Spanish Episcopal Conference.
The initiative, developed under the motto «Forming missionary pastors», brought together in a single proposal the summer courses that until now were organized separately by several episcopal commissions. Participants were able to attend one of the two formation blocks or the complete two-week program.
Two weeks of formation
The days were inaugurated on June 29 by Mons. Joan Enric Vives, Archbishop Emeritus of Urgell and member of the Episcopal Commission for Clergy and Seminaries.
According to the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE), during the first week, dedicated to Christian life and mission, issues related to the missionary identity of the presbyter, interconfessional dialogue, the relationship between priesthood and consecrated life, as well as social pastoral care, integral ecology, and accompaniment of suffering were addressed.
Among the scheduled activities was also a visit to Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican communities in the province of Málaga.
Evangelization, liturgy, and communication
The second week focused on the proclamation and celebration of the faith. The program included modules on Christian initiation, liturgical presidency, communication of the Gospel in the digital environment, and pastoral applications of artificial intelligence, as well as sessions dedicated to youth ministry.
In this last section, the Framework Project for Youth Ministry Poneos en camino was presented, along with the initiatives Despierta and the Campo de Trabajo Lázaro.
An initiative of the Episcopal Conference
Each of the blocks concluded with a day of recapitulation organized by the Episcopal Subcommittee for Seminaries and with the celebration of the Eucharist.
According to the CEE, these days are part of the National Plan for Priestly Formation, which considers the summer period as a time for complementary formation activities. The program combined academic sessions with daily liturgical prayer, fellowship among participants, and various activities carried out in the city and province of Málaga.