School of Philosophy and Theology

    Within the house of formation of the Community of Saint-Martin, the intellectual aspect of the formation is provide by the School of Theology, affiliated to the Pontifical Laterean University in Rome since March 2007. The vast majority of the teaching staff is made of priests from the Community. Outside speakers are regularly invited to give classes or conferences as well.

    The formation is intended to be faithful to the directives of the Church, particularly to the decree of the Second Vatican Council concerning the priestly formation, Optatam Totius. In accordance with the recommendations of this decree, Philosophy and Theology are taught with “Saint Thomas Aquinas as master” (16).

    Rev. Bertrand Lesoing

    Rev. Bertrand Lesoing

    Director of the School of Theology
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    During the first three years, the Cycle of Philosophy, the seminarian acquires solid philosophy knowledge, both secular and sacred, in Metaphysics, Anthropology, Exegeses, Ancient Languages, Fundamental Theology, Moral Theology,Holy History, History of the Church, … At the end of the three years, the seminarian obtains a Bachelor of Philosophy.

    The second cycle, called Cycle of Theology, allows each to enter more deeply into the subjects of Sacred Doctrine and to learn about its details (dogmatic, moral, spiritual, sacramental) as well as Holy Scripture. The Cycle of Theology is crowned by the obtaining of a Bachelor of Theology at the end of the last schoolyear, before the diaconate.

    Finally, the permanent formation has to be at the heart of the mission of the priest whose life is consecrated to loving God and his children ; thus the formation has to teach seminarians the knowledge of the One and of the other always through more profound ways. Some priests may come back to the School of Theology in order to attend specific classes that they may want to review or go further into. Others are sent for a study mission to the Pontifical Laterean University in Rome, the Catholic Institute of Paris, or to the Collège des Bernardins in order to perfect their knowledge in a particular topic of Philosophy or Theology.

    Charitas

    The School of Theology publishes a theological review, Charitas, which gives an account of the research work of its professors and of some students.

    Thirteen reviews have been published to date.