1)  In order “to be formed in the spirit of the Gospel” each seminarian “needs to take special and faithful care of [his] interior spiritual life.”  His daily life will be “centered principally on communion with Christ through the Mysteries celebrated in the course of the Liturgical Year.” (RF 42) He safeguards this formation by making adequate preparation before Mass, ensuring that the Word proclaimed finds a fertile place of reception in his mind and heart through his “fully conscious, active participation” (SC 14), by a humble and reverent reception of the holy mystery of Christ’s Sacred Body and Blood, and by never failing to offer heartfelt thanksgiving for the goodness and mercy of Almighty God.

2)  Because “the priest is called to have within himself the same feelings and attitudes that Christ has towards the Church” (RF 39) seminarians foster this charity towards the Church through a growing commitment to the Liturgy of the Hours. Through this commitment, the seminarian ought to see himself as making his own Christ’s concern for the local and universal Church and indeed for the entire world.  In this sense, he ought to see his praying of the Liturgy as giving voice to the prayer of Christ.  Recognizing the necessity of gradual growth in this regard, upon entering the propaedeutic stage of formation, he commits to pray daily morning and evening prayers.  However, by the end of the discipleship stage, the seminarian ought to be committed to praying the five prescribed hours of the Liturgy of the Hours:  Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer.

3)  While in the discipleship stage, the seminarian will strive to grow in fidelity in his commitment to personal prayer.  His initial commitment to thirty minutes of daily personal prayer ought to progress in pedagogical fashion as he moves forward in formation.  By his entrance into the configurative stage, he ought to have developed the habit of committing at least one hour of his time daily to the “contemplation of the person of Jesus Christ” thus making his “relationship with Christ more intimate and personal and, at the same time” he will have assumed more deeply a “priestly identity.” (RF 68) Here in the Heart of Christ, a seminarian develops the virtue of silence, the practice of mental prayer, and a habit of spiritual reading.

4)  “When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.” (John 19:26-27) Likewise, each seminarian is to take Mary into his own home by cultivating “an authentic and filial devotion” to her. Every aspect of his priestly formation ought to be entrusted to Mary. (RF 112) Throughout each day by praying the Rosary, consecrating himself to Jesus through Mary, and practicing other Marian devotions, the seminarian will find in Mary a wonderful example of docility. (PO 18)

5)  It is essential that each seminarian develops a “familiarity with the Word of God, which is to be considered the soul and guide of [his] journey.” (RF 59) Even beyond the text of Sacred Scripture, however, a seminarian ought to strive to become familiar with the rich spiritual heritage of our Catholic faith.  At least three hours each week should be dedicated to spiritual reading which employs a particular prayerful methodology consistent with our tradition.