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The Second Vatican Council’s document on the Training of Priests (Optatam Totius) states that students must learn the art of exercising the apostolate not only in theory but in practice and should be able to act on their own initiative and in cooperation with others, and to this end, they should be initiated to pastoral work as a part of their course of studies. Keeping in line with the teachings of the Church, St. Paul’s seminary provides ample opportunities for the seminarians to exercise their apostolate during their years of formation here in the seminary. The weekend ministry is one of such opportunities. The students of theology (except the deacons) are sent to nearly 24 villages in the diocese of Tiruchirapalli. All these villages are socially and economically backward, having a majority of Dalit population. In and through the weekend ministry, the students are given a chance to interact with the life realities of the people from the lower strata of the society and to have a comprehensive pastoral outlook with a special concern and commitment for the poor Dalits and the marginalised. The seminarians involve themselves in various activities in their respective ministry centres such as visiting the families, conducting para-liturgical services, Anbiam (BCC) meetings, catechism classes for the children, bible classes for the youth, special tuition for the students, conducting children’s parliament, making the people aware of the current social issues and so on. The seminarians also use the important occasions like Christmas celebrations to evangelise the non-Christians through various cultural programmes.
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