Review article

Theological-Pastoral Weeks in the Service of Permanent Training of Presbyters

Adalbert Rebić

Abstract

As a participant of the Second Vatican Council, Cardinal Šeper was aware of the need of permanent training of priests and, therefore, very early (1959) on he instructed the Catholic Faculty of Theology (KBF) to organize theological-pastoral courses. The first liturgical-pastoral course at the KBF was held as early as 1961. As far as its lectures were concerned, they served as a sort of refresher course of theological studies. Later courses, four in a row (1962–1965), dealt with liturgical issues and were conducted under the leadership of Interdiocesan Liturgical Committee (ILC). In keeping with the needs that emerged from liturgical renewal in terms of the Second Vatican Council, they dealt with the following subjects: »A Guidebook for Active Participation of the Congregation in the Holy Mass« (1962), »The Word of God in the Community« (1963), »Liturgical Renewal of the Community« (1964) and »The Relationship of Liturgy and Catechesis« (1965). The Sixth Theological-Pastoral Course (TPT), that took place in 1966, was the first post-Council course, designed in a new form. The name was changed into Theological-Pastoral Course and it covered all theological areas. Šeper gave a lecture entitled »The Theological Training of Priests according to the Second Vatican Council«. The Seventh TPT (1967) still dealt with various topics. There were two guests invited to that course: W. Keilbach from Munich and Raimondo Spiazzi from Rome. In succession to the main lectures, participants worked in groups. It was the Eighth TPT (1968) that made use of the term ’week’ for the very first time. From that point on, it has been called the Theological-Pastoral Week. The introductory lecture »The Document of the Synod of Bishops on the Present Situation in the Field of Theology« was given by F. Šeper. Bishops on the Present Situation in the Field of Theology« was given by F. Šeper. After that B. Duda announced the work on a new translation of the Bible. It was the first time that the Week also included a fairly large number of faithful laymen as lecturers. The Ninth TPT (1969) was dedicated to »The Sacrament of Confession«. During that Week, J. Kuničić gave a lecture on »The 300th Anniversary of the Catholic Faculty of Theology ». There was a guest lecturer from France Andres Augier. This was the first time that I took an active role as an assistant to the Week’s Secretary J. Turčinović. From the Tenth TPT (1970) to the 33rd TPT (1993), I was the Secretary of the Week and, therefore, actively participated in the organization of the Weeks. The Tenth Week (1970) marked a turning point in many respects. Together with the Dean of the Faculty T. Šagi-Bunić, I tried to follow the concept of the Weeks as they were organized in Europe. We introduced working groups in which participants discussed and drew conclusions that were then discussed in a plenary session at the end of the Week. We were always well prepared for the Week by sending out a questionnaire and an agenda of the Week with the topics and summaries of all the lectures to each deanery. Our topics were quite interesting: The Priest in the Christian Community (1971), Evangelization in Modern World in Our Country (1975), et cetera. The TPTs aroused great interest with our priests so that many of them took part in the Weeks. They contributed to the deepening of theological issues, to the theological training of priests and faithful laymen. From 1966 to the break-up of Yugoslavia, there were almost always up to 1000 participants. Through his presence and sermons Franjo Kuharić lent the TPTs his spirit, a reflection of the presence of the Holy Spirit. – The last Week that I organized was the 33rd TPT, dealing with the topic »Displaced Persons and Refugees – a Concern of the Church«. Then the newly appointed secretary Stjepan Kušar took charge of the organization of the holding of the Week itself. The Theological-Pastoral Weeks 1994–2010. The character of the following Weeks can be perceived in the topics proposed to the Board by my successors J. Baloban and, subsequently, committee member: I. Šaško, Ž. Tanjić, I. Dugandžić, A. Crnčević, B. Lujić and J. Šimunović; What is the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994), The Role and Place of the Church in New Social Circumstances (1995), A Christian in Croatia: Challenges and Dilemmas (1996), et cetera... Over the last fifty years, the Weeks have been the mainstay of permanent theological training.

Keywords

permanent training; theological-pastoral week; theology and priests; pastorale; Liturgy; the Church and contemporary society

Hrčak ID:

59701

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/59701

Publication date:

19.10.2010.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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