The Aparecida bishops acknowledge that living as part of a faith community is demanding. I don’t know that seminaries are the best place to accomplish the laundry list below.
I’ve bullet-pointed the list of expectations of bishops of their clergy. I daresay that lay ministers might also use this list to check their own quality of service to the Church.
324. It must be confirmed that the candidates are able to take on the demands of community life, which entails
- dialogue,
- capacity for service,
- humility,
- appreciation for the charisms of others,
- willingness to let oneself be challenged by others,
- obedience to the bishop,
- and openness to growing in missionary communion with priests, deacons, religious, and laity, serving unity in diversity.
The Church needs priests and religious who never cease being aware that they are disciples in communion.
Inculturation:
325. Young people from poor families or indigenous groups require an inculturated formation, that is, they must receive adequate theological and spiritual training for their future ministry, without thereby losing their roots, and so that they may accordingly be evangelizers close to their peoples and cultures.(Cf. EAm 40; RM 54; PDV 32; Congregation for the Clergy, Directory n. 15)
Hmm. I think people who live in major metropolitan centers may also need an inculturated formation. We might think less of modern culture, but the interface between people and western culture is a substantial need, if we are to take seriously the situation with the nones.
For deeper examination, an English translation of the 2007 document from the Aparecida Conference.
Catholic Sensibility 