Welcome to Episode 175 of the Being Human Podcast: Rethinking Formation: Preparing Priests for the Future with Father Sam Kachuba

In today’s episode, Dr. Greg had a conversation with Father Sam Kachuba, a pastor, a podcaster and one of our Partner Mentors at CatholicPsych. They share insights on priesthood formation and the significance of CatholicPsych’s Certification Program’s Capstone Project. They explore the differences between traditional academic programs and hands-on Certification. They also talk about the challenges that priests encounter, and their need for proper support and mentorship to guide them in their personal growth and healing, self-awareness, and emotional readiness. They emphasize the importance of providing priests with comprehensive formation programs that can develop their skills in pastoral ministry, spiritual direction and mental health support.

Discussed in the episode:

• Father Sam’s witnessing on his personal experiences with CatholicPsych’s Certification Program and how it has impacted his personal growth and various aspects of his pastoral work as a priest

• Exploring the gaps and challenges faced by new priests especially in their first assignments, the lack of formation and foundation among priests of today, and the difficulties priests face 

• Understanding the importance of proper mentorship, consistent guidance and a solid human formation in the life of seminarians and priests, and how these can have powerful impact on the effectiveness of pastoral and ministry work

• Navigating the significant shifts in the Church since 2001 and their impact on seminarians and priests

• Insights into the four pillars of seminary formation—human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral—and how they're essential for a well-rounded formation

Resources mentioned or relevant: 

Summit of Integration: CatholicPsych’s live event to celebrate the beauty and power of integration! 

Learn more about our Certification Program (CatholicPsych Model of Applied Personalism)!

Need help? Schedule a free consultation call with someone on our team to discuss how we can support you; 

Sign up for Being Human, our weekly newsletter, for encouragement on your journey of becoming the best human you can be;

Visit our website to read the CatholicPsych blog, shop in the CatholicPsych bookshop, or discover other resources we have available; 

 Download The Integrated App for access to free audio exercises, the Catholic Mindfulness Virtual Retreat, courses, prayer resources, and more;  

Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, plus the opportunity to participate in Integrated LIVE’s - weekly, Mentor hosted Q&As covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more!

Follow us on Instagram: @catholicpsych. 

 Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you!

Rate, review, and subscribe 

Please help us in our mission to integrate the Faith with Psychology by hitting subscribe and also sharing this podcast with your friends.

Please consider rating or leaving a review of our show. It helps us reach other Catholics just like you who want to become more integrated, whole, and happy human beings.

 For Apple podcasts, click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate 5 stars, and choose “write a review.” Then type your sincere thoughts about the show!

 If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any episodes. Subscribe to the podcast now!