No new seminarians at the
Pontifical Irish College next year
 |
| Facade of the Pontifical Irish College in Rome |
The Irish Catholic Bishops announce the Pontifical Irish
College, Rome, will not be accepting seminarians from Ireland in the academic
year 2020-2021.
By Vatican News
The news regarding the Pontifical Irish College in Rome came
in a statement recounting some of the topics discussed during the Bishops’
Summer General Meeting.
The statement reads that “the Trustees of the Pontifical
Irish College, Rome, reported to the Bishop’s Conference that the College does
not intend to receive Irish seminarians for the academic year 2020-2021”. The
Bishops added that the decision will remain under review.
They recognised that the College “continues to provide an
important service to the Church in Ireland”, and confirmed that they are open
to the possibility of sending seminarians to the College in the future.
The Pontifical Irish College is a seminary, established in
1628, that accepts young seminarians from all over the world to undergo
priestly formation.
Ongoing formation for priests
The Acting Rector, Father Paul Finnerty, released a report
in which he noted that the College “will continue to be a place of ongoing
formation for priests”.
This, the Bishops explain, “includes facilitating those
pursuing postgraduate studies and those wishing to undertake a longer or
shorter period of sabbatical renewal in Rome.”
The College will also continue to host the semester-abroad
programme for seminarians from the USA.
In line with the New Ratio for Seminary Formation,
the Bishops assure that they continue to consider future ways to prepare
priests with the human, spiritual, theological and pastoral aptitudes needed to
address challenges of contemporary Ireland.
They also acknowledged the Trustees’ commitment to explore
new ways in which the College can be of service to the Church in Ireland.
This, the statement explains, will include “both its
historical ministry of priestly formation - initial and ongoing”.
Enriching Roman experience
The Irish College is also considering formation programs for
various forms of ministry in Ireland, included the permanent diaconate, parish
catechists, and parish pastoral workers.
Finally, the Bishops agree that the “broad, global, and
universal viewpoint offered by a Roman experience has been enriching for many
down through the centuries.” They add that this “remains true today, and into
the future.”
New vice Rector at the Pontifical Scots College
The news comes as the Pontifical Scots College in Rome
announces a new Vice-rector.
Fr Nick Welsh, aged 36, was chosen for the post by the
Bishops’ Conference of Scotland.
He is expected to begin the role at the national seminary in
September.
Fr Welsh currently serves as parish priest at Our Lady and
St Andrew, covering Galashiels, Melrose and Selkirk, and as Vicar Episcopal for
Education for the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh.
Fr Nick attended the Scots College as a seminarian between 2007-14,
and has a Licence in Theology.
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