EXPECTATIONS

The teaching role of the priest is of primary importance. All that a priest does in celebrating sacraments, delivering homilies, teaching RCIA and adult education classes, etc. are part of his teaching role. The priest’s life must be grounded in the teachings of the Catholic faith, which implies a continual conversion of mind and heart. The academic years in the seminary are a graced period in life. During these years of theological studies, a seminarian receives the opportunity to ground his life firmly in the basic academic disciplines of the Church. He is challenged to integrate these academic disciplines and make them his own.

ACADEMIC CURRICULUM

Complete 2023-24 programme of studies available here.

The Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Seminary Institute of Theology, Bambui, hitherto, Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Major Seminary (Theologicum), Bambui comes as a response to the request of the Congregation for Catholic Education that all Ecclesiastical Universities and Faculties implement the Apostolic Constitution, Veritatis Gaudium (VG) of Pope Francis. This is due to the fact that “What is taking shape before us today is ‘a great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge, and it will demand that we set out on the long path of renewal’. This is also the case for ecclesiastical faculties and universities” (Veritatis Gaudium, Foreword, n. 6). The present Institute applies for affiliation to the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Urbaniana University (PUU), Rome. As an affiliate Institute of Theology of Higher Studies, and for the purposes of being able to grant the Bachelor’s Degree in Theology, approved by the Congregation for Catholic Education (see VG, art. 63. §§ 1-2), it is necessary that the Statutes of the Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Seminary Institute of Theology, Bambui – Cameroon, be laid down according to the guidelines provided by the Congregation for Catholic Education. This will not take care only of the running of the Institute but also and especially of the Plan of Studies required for it to be a higher institute of studies whose candidates are capable of being awarded a Bachelor’s of Theology by the PUU, the affiliating university. It is good to note that the academic function of the Institute serves greatly the formation of seminarians for the priesthood (both diocesan and religious), who for now, constitute the candidates enrolled in this Institute. In fact, the Institute’s Plan of Studies is prepared with the consciousness of that “special duty of taking care of the scientific theological formation of those preparing for the priesthood and those who are preparing to hold some particular ecclesiastical office (VG, art. 76. § 1). This Plan of Studies will be renewed every time the Institute is required to renew its affiliation to the PUU or whenever it is necessary or required by the Congregation for Catholic Education. The Plan of Studies for the Institute, while in touch with local realities, has been elaborated by the various qualified course masters with proper consultation of the “Tesario” prepared by the Faculty of Theology of the PUU. The Plan of Studies is done in such a way that this Institute of Theology is truly a “community of study, research and formation” (VG, art. 11 § 1). Such a Plan of Studies, when properly executed, realises “the aim of profoundly studying and systematically explaining, according to the scientific method proper to it, Catholic doctrine, derived with the greatest care from divine revelation. It has the further aim of carefully seeking the solution to human problems in the light of that same revelation” (VG, art. 69). The various courses in this Plan of Studies are classified under major and subsidiary courses. The number of credits accorded to each course is also indicated. The objective that each course seeks to realise is stated before the scheme of work is revealed. Finally a bibliography or documentation of each is presented.

--Rev. Fr Gordian Berri Baba (Director of the Institute)

January 2022

The Institute aims at promoting a comprehensive study of Theology as required by the Church for students undergoing higher studies. It is expected that the student would acquaint and season himself with the general theological disciplines that are offered. This expectation also obtains for other disciplines offered by the department.