The Institute for Priests and Presbyterates, a program of Saint Meinrad School of Theology, was begun in 2004 through a grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc.
The main goal of the Institute is to assist priests in their transition from the seminary to the parish and in their ongoing lives as priests. It supports the School of Theology’s mission, “the initial and ongoing formation of priests, permanent deacons, and lay ministers to minister together effectively in the service of the Roman Catholic Church.”
The Institute’s programs help dioceses implement Pope John Paul II’s Pastores Dabo Vobis, and the follow-up document by The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests.
Both documents stress the importance of formation for individual priests and the presbyterates to which they belong. (A presbyterate is the assembly of priests and their bishop in a particular diocese.)
The Institute will initially focus on programs for three groups: priests in their first five years, new pastors, and presbyterates seeking greater unity. As the Institute’s programming expands, more components are expected to be added.