University of Notre Dame proposes 12 reforms for seminary formation

A report released on July 17, 2026 by the University of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life offers twelve recommendations to improve the formation of future priests. The proposals call for a deeper integration of psychological services in seminaries, enhanced support for seminarians with special‑needs such as autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and OCD, and renewed emphasis on fostering chastity and celibacy.

The report, titled “Do You Know Them to be Worthy? Twelve Proposals for Bishops, Rectors, Seminary Formation Teams, and Mental Health Professionals in Assessing the Suitability of Men for Holy Orders,” was authored by Father Thomas Berg, visiting professor of practice, and Timothy G. Lock, director of psychological services at St. Joseph’s Seminary and founder of the Goretti Centre for Healing and Forgiveness. It urges bishops to prioritize the quality of seminarians over sheer numbers and draws on data from a study commissioned from Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, as well as input from seminary rectors, psychologists and formators.