Namur seminary opens academic year with nine diocesan seminarians among 42 enrolled
The Grand Séminaire francophone de Belgique in Namur began the 2026-2027 academic year on September 7 with 42 men enrolled, nine of them diocesan seminarians, its rector said in his opening address
The Grand Séminaire francophone de Belgique, the French-speaking seminary for Belgium, based in Namur, welcomed its new seminarians for the 2026-2027 academic year on Monday, September 7, 2026. In his opening address, the rector, Father Joël Spronck, said 42 men are enrolled, nine of them diocesan seminarians, a historically low figure for the institution.
The new arrivals include five diocesan propaedeutic students, men aged 18 to 22 who are in a preparatory stage of discernment. Another seven are in formation at the Séminaire Redemptoris Mater, which belongs to the Neocatechumenal Way, and seven more are at the Maison Saint-Joseph in Namur, which takes in propaedeutic students from the Emmanuel Community. Also enrolled are 14 religious, two of them from Eastern Churches.
This year, for the first time, the Belgian propaedeutic students will be housed in Metz, in eastern France, rather than in Namur. They will join propaedeutic students from Lorraine, Strasbourg and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg there at the end of September. They will then return to Belgium for a pastoral placement and an Ignatian retreat.
