TASHKENT (UCAN) -- Spirituality is the major emphasis in the pre-seminary program run by the Catholic diocese based in Novosibirsk, eastern Russia, says a missioner who helps run the program.

The two-year program "is aimed at developing spiritual and prayerful life among our students," according to Jesuit Father Anthony Corcoran. The American missioner is vice rector and spiritual director of the pre-seminary.

Father Corcoran, 41, also is vicar general of the diocese, officially named "Trasfigurazione a Novosibirsk." He is based in Novosibirsk, 2,820 kilometers east of Moscow, but spoke to UCA News during a stay in Uzbekistan March 15-23 to lead a spiritual program for Catholic priests working in this Central Asian republic.

The formator said the pre-seminary program now has seven candidates. They study humanities and languages -- English, Latin, German, Polish -- but the greater part of the day is devoted to prayer and spiritual exercises, he said.

On Saturdays they also work with the poor and elderly, but Father Corcoran reiterated that "the most important thing is prayer life and to be closer to God." The spiritual director compared the program to the novitiate of candidates in Religious orders.

The aspirants to the priesthood who join the program come not only from the Novosibirsk area but from other parts of Russia as well. The pre-seminary is the first stage for many, but not all, future Russian priests.

Since the program began more than 10 years ago, 69 men have completed it, with 22 of them currently continuing their seminary formation elsewhere, he said. Last year 14 young people completed the program, he added.

Those who continue go either to Mary Queen of Apostles seminary in St. Petersburg or join formation programs of monastic orders, he said.

Mary Queen of Apostles, the only Catholic seminary in Russia, opened in September 1993 in Moscow, but moved in 1995 to St. Petersburg, 630 kilometers northwest of the capital.

Seminarians there take a seven-year program including philosophy, theology and pastoral training, Father Corcoran said.

The Jesuit missioner expects newly ordained Russian priests to face difficulties in their ministry, because religion was in "deep stagnation in the Soviet Union era (1917-1991)," when Christianity was suppressed.

He also points to Catholics' minority status in Russia, where Christians are overwhelmingly Russian Orthodox. Catholics in Russia number about half a million in a population of 140 million.

The vicar general, who has served in the diocese since 1997, said 15 priests ministering to about 500 Catholics in four parishes including Transfiguration Cathedral Parish in Novosibirsk.

Novosibirsk diocese and neighboring Irkutsk diocese ("San Giuseppe a Irkutsk") are associate members of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences. Pope John Paul II elevated them to dioceses in February 2002. They were formerly the apostolic administrations of western and eastern Siberia respectively. Novosibirsk is headed by Jesuit Bishop Joseph Werth.

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