Priestly formation in the Community of the Incarnation focuses on the priest as a presider of worship. The main role of a priest, as set forth in the ordination ceremony, is to preside at Eucharist and the sacraments.
We individually assess seminarians who are accepted into our formation program according to their previous academic degrees, training, and experience. We then build a program for them so that they are presiders of worship as well as people who are adept in theology, the sacraments, world religions, pastoral studies, and ethics.
For example, while working through academic courses, seminarians participate in the active life of a church community. They assist the clergy at the Eucharist and other sacraments, thereby becoming familiar with the rites and rituals as well as forming their own theology of the sacraments.
Seminarians are initiated into various stages of the clergy as they progress in their studies. These stages are rites of initiation which the community celebrates.
Priests in the Community of the Incarnation do not wear clerical garb as a sign of status or superiority, but are clergy commissioned by the Christ, "to serve others." Service and love are the foremost mission of a priest.
Priestly formation does not stop at ordination, but is on-going. It is crucial for the priest to constantly seek academic and spiritual progress. The men and women in our communities are more educated, talented, and socially aware than those in the past and it is the duty and the responsibility of the priest to be at his or her best in relating to a community on a personal, spiritual, liturgical, or social level. Anything less would be a disservice to the people.
Bishops Kroski and Sunderland have mentored many clergy in their years of priesthood. Bishop Sunderland was the Dean of Sophia Divinity School for two years as well as a clergy mentor and liturgical trainer. Bishop Kroski has also mentored numerous clergy in his 30 years of priesthood and was the Liturgical Director for the Church of Antioch as well as a distinguished liturgist during his years as a Roman Catholic priest.
Seminarians in the Community of the Incarnation will be privy to the experience and the expertise of Bishops Kroski and Sunderland.