Human Formation: becoming a bridge, not an obstacle

By Fr Kenwyn Sylvester

Director of Vocations

In the last issue (CN, August 17-23), I reminded you: entrance into seminary does not guarantee ordination. Saying ‘yes’ to God’s call at the doorway is only the beginning. The deeper work unfolds over years through a process the Church calls Formation.

The Program of Priestly Formation, Sixth Edition (PPF 6) describes this work clearly: “The gift of the priestly vocation, placed by God in the hearts of some men, obliges the Church to propose to them a serious journey of formation.”

A vocation, then, is not a possession a man carries with him like a badge, nor is it a guaranteed path once he steps inside the seminary gates. It is a gift entrusted to him, and that gift must be tested, purified, stretched, and matured.

This happens across four interconnected dimensions: human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. Each is lived out in a rhythm of four stages: propaedeutic, discipleship, configuration, and vocational synthesis.

PPF 6 insists that seminarians must not advance unless the benchmarks for each stage are met. Growth must be real, not cosmetic.

We begin with the foundation of all priestly formation: Human Formation.

What Is Human Formation?

St John Paul II, in Pastores Dabo Vobis, was blunt: without a strong human foundation, the rest of priestly formation collapses. A priest is meant to be a bridge, not an obstacle, to others’ encounter with Christ. That bridge is built through the man’s own humanity his ability to love, to listen, to communicate, to be at peace with himself and with others.

PPF 6 deepens this teaching by reminding us that every seminarian arrives as an “uncut diamond.” Pope Francis describes it this way: “They are ‘uncut diamonds,’ to be formed both patiently and carefully, respecting the conscience of the individual, so that they may shine among the People of God.”

Notice the imagery. A diamond is already valuable when hidden in the rock, but its brilliance only emerges with time, pressure, and careful work. Human formation is that work: shaping a man’s personality so it reflects Christ, removing what clouds his character, and strengthening what enables him to give himself in service.

Human formation is not about producing charm or polish. It is not about creating a public image or training in etiquette. It is about truth, becoming a man of integrity—someone whose inner life matches his outward witness.

It is about self-mastery, honesty, discipline, emotional maturity, and reliability. A priest who lacks these virtues may preach beautifully or celebrate the liturgy reverently, but his humanity will either draw people closer to Christ or push them away.

A story is told of a seminarian who entered with a burning love for theology. He devoured St Augustine, memorised the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and never missed an opportunity to defend the faith in debate.

Yet, when community life challenged him, when a brother irritated him, when a rector offered correction, when the daily grind of chores and schedules pressed in, his temper flared. He withdrew when things did not go his way. He could be sharp, even harsh, in conversation.

For a time, he assumed that being right in doctrine was enough. But his formators saw something deeper: he had the knowledge but not yet the humanity to be a shepherd.

Over years of prayer, feedback, and daily discipline, he learned to breathe before speaking in anger, to seek reconciliation instead of retreat, to accept correction as a gift instead of an insult.

The transformation was slow, but real. His love of theology matured into a love of people because his humanity became a bridge instead of an obstacle.

Questions for you to ponder as you pray about the stirring in your heart.

If you are discerning priesthood, this first dimension is worth sitting with:

• When people encounter you, do they experience warmth and approachability, or do they feel distance?
• Are you honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses, or do you hide behind excuses?
• When you make a mistake, do you own it, or blame circumstances and others?
• Do you have the patience to listen deeply to someone, even when their story is messy or slow?
• How do you handle stress, conflict, or loneliness? Do you collapse into yourself, or do you persevere with courage?
• Are you willing to let God shape not just your prayer and intellect, but your personality, your habits, even your rough edges?

These are not small matters. They are signs of whether your humanity is becoming a transparent window to Christ, or a fogged glass that obscures Him.

Formation is not about producing flawless men. It is about cooperating with God’s grace to shape men into bridges of encounter, not obstacles.

The Church does not expect perfection at the door. She asks only for openness, docility, and willingness to be formed. PPF 6 reminds us: seminarians are “uncut diamonds.” That means imperfection is not a disqualification; rather, it is the raw material of grace.

If you sense God calling you, dare to ask yourself: Am I willing to be formed? Am I willing to let God chip away what is false, polish what is true, and bring forth the diamond He already sees in me?

I leave you with an interpretation of the words of St Teresa of Kolkata: God does not ask us to be perfect, but faithful. The journey to priesthood begins with openness to being formed. Are you ready?

If these questions stir something in your heart, do not keep them to yourself. Bring them to prayer. Share them with a trusted priest or spiritual director. And when you are ready, reach out to the Office of Vocations: (868) 499-0302 or vocations@catholictt.org

The journey does not begin alone; it begins in dialogue, with God and with His Church.