Ave Maria University |
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Intellectual Formation
Pre-Theologate Intellectual Formation
Ex Corde Ecclesiae
Veritatis Splendor
Pope John Paul II charges Catholic colleges and universities to recognize that we have our origin in the Heart of the Church and to be faithful to that source as the very font of our life. In this way the conversation of hearts extends even to the classroom, as professors open their hearts to God that they may then touch the hearts of their students and share with them the Splendor of the Truth.
In the classroom, our students have their faith nourished by teachers, many of them priests and religious, who embrace the Church’s magisterium in total fidelity to our Holy Father as Vicar of Christ. Pope John Paul II advises us that “diligent care be taken for the quality of the intellectual formation of candidates for the priesthood, who should seek an ever deeper knowledge of the divine mysteries for the salvation of their brothers and sisters.”
The Pre-Theologate is a propaedeutic formation program that provides the foundation for immediate transition from the university to a graduate program of theology. While studying at Ave Maria, students may choose from a variety of majors. As they pursue their selected field of study, they concurrently fulfill all the requirements of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Program of Priestly Formation. The bishops have mandated 30 credit hours in philosophy and 12 credit hours in theology for entrance into a theologate. “The philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas should be given the recognition that Church teaching accords it.”
The bishops propose: “A Philosophy program should be balanced, comprehensive, integrated and coherent. It should include studies in metaphysics, anthropology, natural theology, epistemology, ethics and logic; it should also include substantial study in the history of philosophy treating ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary philosophy.”
“The undergraduate Theology program should include introductions to biblical revelation, doctrine, church history, liturgy, spirituality and Christian ethics. An appreciation of the role of religion in literature and in the arts, as well as an understanding of world religions may be helpful.”