The formation of candidates for the Catholic priesthood is a very long and complex process. The seminary system of intensive instruction in philosophy and theology, together with spiritual formation, was one of the most important reforms of the Council of Trent in the 16th century. Its basic form continues around the world, including South Africa, with local variations.

This chapter will outline the historical background of Catholic seminary formation in South Africa, discuss the principles of formation as found in various Church documents, and analyse their application in the two institutions of seminary formation in South Africa: St John Vianney Seminary and St Joseph's Theological Institute.

Historical background

The first Catholic missionaries who arrived in South Africa in the 19th century from Europe and, to a lesser extent, North America, came to provide pastoral care for the European settlers and to evangelise the black population (Bate 1996:5–36, Brain 1997:195–210). Prior to 1922 no priests were trained in South Africa.

In his encyclical Maximum illud (1919), Pope Benedict XV mandated the training of indigenous priests in their own countries. In 1924, the first Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Jordan Gilswijk, met with bishops and religious superiors to discuss the training of priests in South Africa. They decided that white candidates would be sent overseas and black candidates would study in South Africa because ‘blacks would have difficulty with English as the medium of instruction, their social customs and educational background were different and separation of the two groups was likely to be beneficial to both’ (Brain 2002:7).

St Mary's Seminary for black candidates was opened in 1925 at Mariathal near Ixopo, first as a minor seminary and from 1929 as a major seminary. In 1946 the major seminary for coloured and black candidates was transferred to Pevensey near Reichenau in Natal. It was run by the Congregation of Mariannhill Missionaries and from 1957 by the Dominicans. A new seminary, now called St Peter’s, was built in Hammanskraal in the then Transvaal and opened in 1963.

In the early years, only the Society of the Sacred Heart in the Aliwal North diocese educated their white seminarians in South Africa. A seminary was opened in 1929 and closed in 1945 because of staff shortages. Before it closed, this seminary had begun to educate white and coloured candidates from the dioceses and prefectures.