Seminary Formation

Sacred Heart Seminary, Lacor, is the minor seminary of the Archdiocese of Gulu. Our life is centred on the Eucharist, the Word of God, daily prayer, and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the source of the love our motto, Caritas et Servitium (Charity and Service), calls us to live. We serve in communion with the Holy Father and the Archbishop of Gulu, and we form our students in the faith, teaching, and discipline of the Catholic Church.

The seminary was founded by the Comboni Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to form local clergy, in the spirit of St. Daniel Comboni’s vision of “Saving Africa with Africans.” Today the seminary is run by the Archdiocese of Gulu and staffed by its diocesan clergy, which is itself the fruit of Comboni’s plan: African priests forming African priests for their own people. We honour his call, “Africa or Death,” by carrying his spirit of total, sacrificial service into each new generation.

Sacred Heart Seminary, Lacor, offers secondary education from Senior One to Senior Six in an environment of prayer, discipline, and discernment. Its purpose is to help young men who sense a call to the diocesan priesthood to grow as Christians and as people, and to prepare them for the next stage of formation. After Senior Six, seminarians continue to the philosophicum, the philosophy stage of formation, at Alokolum National Major Seminary or Katigondo National Major Seminary, and later proceed to theology and ordination for service in the Archdiocese of Gulu.

The pillars of formation include:-

Human: Building character, honesty, discipline, responsibility, and healthy friendships.

Spiritual: Learning to pray, to love the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart, and to listen for God’s call.

Academic: Providing a sound secondary education that prepares students for further studies, whatever path they take.

Pastoral and community: Growing through community life, work, and service, in the spirit of caritas et servitium.

Not every student will become a priest. Whatever path each one takes, we aim to send out men of faith, integrity, and generous service.

The seminary belongs to the Archdiocese of Gulu and exists to form candidates for its diocesan clergy. The Archbishop of Gulu appoints the Rector and the Board of Governors, and all formators are priests of the Archdiocese but they are assisted by lay staff who teach various subjects on the curriculum menu. Our formation follows the norms of the universal Church and the guidance of Ministry of Education and Sports.