THE FOUR DIMENSIONS OF EDUCATION AND THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF CATHOLIC PRIESTLY FORMATION: ANY NEXUS?

Abstract

A holistic education of the human person takes into consideration four important dimensions, namely, the cognitive, the affective, the operative and the social dimensions. These aspects are so intermingled that a defect in one leads to a defect in the integral development of the individual. These dimensions are also evident in the formation program of candidates to the Catholic priesthood where human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation and pastoral formation are seen as the essential pillars of priestly formation. This paper seeks points of contact between secular education and the Catholic priestly formation and identifies that reference to traditional Nigerian education could help form authentic priests who are intellectually mature and possessing strength of character and respect for the cultural values of the Nigerian people.