Troska biskupów płockich o wychowanie i wykształcenie w seminarium od XVIII do XIX wieku

Due to a considerable lack of clergy and scarce funds for the upkeep of seminar-ists, seminary education usually lasted only two years. It depended on the academic advancement of the candidate or on receiving a benefice followed by ordination. No wonder then, that the academic level in seminaries of that time was not high. The necessity to carry out academic and educational reforms was noticed in his seminaries by bishop Michał Jerzy Poniatowski (1773-1785), who dearly cared for the education and academic advancement of the clergy, as well as for the increase of its number. He separated dogmatic theology from moral theology, introduced church history, canon law, exegesis of the books of the Holy Scriptures and – at the same time – introduced secular subjects such as arithmetic, geometry or geography. Regulations stipulated twenty four hours of lectures per week. Further changes in the regulations were intro-duced by bishop Michał Nowodworski. General history, Polish literature and calligra-phy were removed from preparatory and philosophical course. However, holy preach-ing was introduced on two courses, introduction to church history was added to pre-paratory course and introduction to holy preaching was introduced on philosophy course. The next bishop to have had considerable merit for the Theological Seminary in Płock was Antoni Nowowiejski (1908-1941). It was he who – on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Płock Theological Seminary jubilee - procured from the Holy See a privilege of granting theological baccalaureate to the more diligent and talented alumni. Owing to the undertaken reforms the alumni of the Theological Seminary were well educated and possessed proper spiritual formation.