Why did the Council of Trent require dioceses to establish seminaries?

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Title page of a 1568 Welsh Christian doctrine book by Morys Clynnog, featuring Welsh text and a woodcut illustration of the crucifixion of Jesus at the center. — Counter-Reformation Title page of *Athravaeth Gristnogavl* (1568; “Christian Doctrine”), a Roman Catholic catechism translated into Welsh by Morys Clynnog as part of the church's Counter-Reformation efforts.

The Council of Trent mandated that every diocese establish seminaries to ensure the proper education and training of future clergy under church auspices.123

This requirement was a central component of the broader disciplinary reforms enacted during the Counter-Reformation. By formalizing clerical education, the church aimed to address widespread corruption, combat the influence of the Protestant Reformation, and prepare priests for a more austere life of service. These seminaries were intended to standardize the preparation of candidates for the priesthood, thereby improving the internal life and discipline of the church and ensuring that clergy were better equipped for their pastoral duties, particularly the task of preaching.3412