St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
Encyclopedia
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary is the seminary
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
. Named for Charles Borromeo
, it is located in Wynnewood
, Pennsylvania
,
The seminary is accredited by both the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
, and the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
.
It consists of three divisions: College, Theology, and Religious Studies. Potential candidates for the priesthood
pursue a program which consists of a four-year liberal arts
curriculum followed by a four-year curriculum within the professional school of theology. The seminary offers the degrees of Bachelor of Arts
, Master of Divinity
, and Master of Arts
.
The current rector is Reverend Fr. Shaun Mahoney and the current Vice Rector is Reverend Fr. Joseph Bongard.
The Seminary is committed to providing a unified college and theology program of formation in priestly spirituality, pastoral ministry, celibate witness, emotional maturity, intellectual integrity and physical wellness.
Formation towards the ministerial priesthood centers around the Word of God and the
Sacraments of the Church, most especially Eucharist and Reconciliation. This is complemented by personal and community prayer, a comprehensive academic program of liberal arts and theological studies, and a program of pastoral preparation designed primarily for parochial ministry.
The Seminary welcomes the diverse challenges of our time and promotes in the seminarian a commitment to work in unity with others in the Church with a pastoral solicitude which is exercised in fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church.
Offering its resources to the larger Church community, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, through its Religious Studies Division and in cooperation with other institutes, provides a variety of academic and pastoral programs to serve the needs and interests of priests and deacons in parochial and other ministries, other parish workers, teachers of religion, and interested lay persons. The Seminary is committed to serve the need for on-going formation and pastoral education, as this need continues to be discerned and in collaboration with the leadership of the local Church.
Source - http://scs.edu/about-saint-charles-seminary.htm)
, the third Bishop of Philadelphia
. The seminary was initially located at the home of Bishop Kenrick on Fifth Street in Philadelphia
. In 1838, it was chartered to grant academic degree
s. Circumstances required the subsequent relocation of the seminary to the northwest corner of Fifth and Prune Streets, then to Saint Mary's Rectory
on Fourth Street, and eventually to the southeast corner of Eighteenth and Race Streets in Philadelphia before moving, in 1871, to its present home in Overbrook.
In 1863 Bishop James F. Wood made the first of three purchases of the property that today comprises the campus of Overbrook. In September, 1871, the preparatory college and theology divisions were reunited on the present campus. In December, 1875, the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception was formally dedicated by Archbishop Wood (who reached that rank when Philadelphia became an archdiocese in 1875). Subsequent Archbishops of Philadelphia have initiated improvements on the Seminary campus. Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan began the building of the library. Archbishop Edmond Prendergast oversaw the building of a student residence hall. Dennis Cardinal Dougherty sponsored the construction of the college building. John Cardinal O'Hara added an indoor swimming pool to the physical assets of the Seminary. In 1971, under the leadership of John Cardinal Krol, a residence hall and multi-purpose building dedicated to Saint John Vianney was constructed. In 2005, the Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua Research Center was established at the Ryan Memorial Library. The building was completely renovated in the process. The buildings that make up the current Theology Division along with the Ryan Memorial Library stand at the western end of campus. The Seminary College is located at the eastern end.
For an eleven-year period the preparatory division of the seminary was located at Glen Riddle in Delaware County
. The preparatory program consisted at that time of what is equivalent to today's last two years of high school
and four years of college
. The high school program was discontinued in 1968. In 1999, St. Charles was described as avoiding the brunt of liturgical abuses common in some United States seminaries. It is the current home of Cardinal
Anthony Bevilacqua, the former Archbishop
of Philadelphia.
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
. Named for Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo was the cardinal archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Milan from 1564 to 1584. He was a leading figure during the Counter-Reformation and was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests...
, it is located in Wynnewood
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania is a suburban community located outside of Philadelphia in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania and Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Wynnewood was named in 1691 for Dr. Thomas Wynne, William Penn's physician and the first Speaker of the Pennsylvania General...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
,
The seminary is accredited by both the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer evaluation and accreditation...
, and the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada is an organization of seminaries and other graduate schools of theology. ATS has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has more than 250 member institutions...
.
It consists of three divisions: College, Theology, and Religious Studies. Potential candidates for the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
pursue a program which consists of a four-year liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
curriculum followed by a four-year curriculum within the professional school of theology. The seminary offers the degrees of Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
, and Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
.
The current rector is Reverend Fr. Shaun Mahoney and the current Vice Rector is Reverend Fr. Joseph Bongard.
Mission of the Seminary
The fundamental mission of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is the formation of Catholic men of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and of other dioceses and religious communities for pastoral service in the Roman Catholic priesthood of Jesus Christ.The Seminary is committed to providing a unified college and theology program of formation in priestly spirituality, pastoral ministry, celibate witness, emotional maturity, intellectual integrity and physical wellness.
Formation towards the ministerial priesthood centers around the Word of God and the
Sacraments of the Church, most especially Eucharist and Reconciliation. This is complemented by personal and community prayer, a comprehensive academic program of liberal arts and theological studies, and a program of pastoral preparation designed primarily for parochial ministry.
The Seminary welcomes the diverse challenges of our time and promotes in the seminarian a commitment to work in unity with others in the Church with a pastoral solicitude which is exercised in fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church.
Offering its resources to the larger Church community, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, through its Religious Studies Division and in cooperation with other institutes, provides a variety of academic and pastoral programs to serve the needs and interests of priests and deacons in parochial and other ministries, other parish workers, teachers of religion, and interested lay persons. The Seminary is committed to serve the need for on-going formation and pastoral education, as this need continues to be discerned and in collaboration with the leadership of the local Church.
Source - http://scs.edu/about-saint-charles-seminary.htm)
History
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary was founded in 1832 by Bishop Francis KenrickFrancis Kenrick
Francis Patrick Kenrick was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third Bishop of Philadelphia and the sixth Archbishop of Baltimore .-Early life and education:...
, the third Bishop of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
. The seminary was initially located at the home of Bishop Kenrick on Fifth Street in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. In 1838, it was chartered to grant academic degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
s. Circumstances required the subsequent relocation of the seminary to the northwest corner of Fifth and Prune Streets, then to Saint Mary's Rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
on Fourth Street, and eventually to the southeast corner of Eighteenth and Race Streets in Philadelphia before moving, in 1871, to its present home in Overbrook.
In 1863 Bishop James F. Wood made the first of three purchases of the property that today comprises the campus of Overbrook. In September, 1871, the preparatory college and theology divisions were reunited on the present campus. In December, 1875, the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception was formally dedicated by Archbishop Wood (who reached that rank when Philadelphia became an archdiocese in 1875). Subsequent Archbishops of Philadelphia have initiated improvements on the Seminary campus. Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan began the building of the library. Archbishop Edmond Prendergast oversaw the building of a student residence hall. Dennis Cardinal Dougherty sponsored the construction of the college building. John Cardinal O'Hara added an indoor swimming pool to the physical assets of the Seminary. In 1971, under the leadership of John Cardinal Krol, a residence hall and multi-purpose building dedicated to Saint John Vianney was constructed. In 2005, the Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua Research Center was established at the Ryan Memorial Library. The building was completely renovated in the process. The buildings that make up the current Theology Division along with the Ryan Memorial Library stand at the western end of campus. The Seminary College is located at the eastern end.
For an eleven-year period the preparatory division of the seminary was located at Glen Riddle in Delaware County
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
. The preparatory program consisted at that time of what is equivalent to today's last two years of high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and four years of college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
. The high school program was discontinued in 1968. In 1999, St. Charles was described as avoiding the brunt of liturgical abuses common in some United States seminaries. It is the current home of Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Anthony Bevilacqua, the former Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Philadelphia.
Episcopal alumni (those who would become bishops)
- Peter Richard KenrickPeter Richard KenrickPeter Richard Kenrick was the first Catholic archbishop west of the Mississippi River.-Early life and ordination:He was born and educated in Dublin, Ireland and ordained to the priesthood in 1832...
- Edward BarronEdward BarronEdward Barron was an Irish born missionary bishop who led the Catholic mission to Liberia.-References:...
- Michael O'ConnorMichael O'Connor (bishop)Michael O'Connor, S.J. was an Irish-born clergyman of Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Pittsburgh and Bishop of Erie .-Early life and education:...
- Thaddeus Amat y BrusiThaddeus Amat y BrusiThaddeus Amat y Brusi, C.M. was a Roman Catholic cleric who eventually became Bishop of Los Angeles, California.- Birth and Early Career:Amat was born in the Catalan capital of Barcelona, Spain on December 31, 1810. He was ordained a priest of the religious order of the Congregation of the...
- Michael DomenecMichael DomenecMichael Domenec, D.D., C.M. was the second Roman Catholic bishop of the diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the only bishop of the short-lived Diocese of Allegheny.-Background:...
- Stephen V. RyanStephen V. RyanStephen Vincent Ryan, C.M. was a Canadian-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Buffalo from 1868 until his death in 1896....
- Caspar Henry BorgessCaspar Henry BorgessCaspar Henry Borgess was the second Roman Catholic bishop of Detroit, Michigan.He was born in Hanover, Germany, and emigrated to the United States as a child. He completed his classical and theological studies at St. Xavier's College in Cincinnati and St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia...
- James O'ConnorJames O'Connor (archbishop)James O'Connor, D.D. was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Omaha.Born in Queenstown, Ireland, he went to America at the age of fifteen. He was educated at St. Charles's Seminary, Philadelphia, and in the Propaganda College, Rome where he was ordained a priest in 1848...
- Edmond Francis PrendergastEdmond Francis PrendergastEdmond Francis Prendergast was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1911 until his death in 1918.-Biography:...
- Dennis Joseph DoughertyDennis Joseph DoughertyDennis Joseph Dougherty was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1918 until his death in 1951, and was created a cardinal in 1921.-Early life and education:...
- George L. LeechGeorge L. LeechGeorge Leo Leech was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Harrisburg from 1935 to 1971.-Biography:...
- Hugh L. LambHugh L. LambHugh Louis Lamb was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Greensburg from 1952 until his death in 1959.-Biography:...
- Eugene J. McGuinnessEugene J. McGuinnessEugene Joseph McGuinness was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Raleigh and Bishop of Oklahoma City-Tulsa .-Biography:...
- Francis Edward HylandFrancis Edward HylandFrancis Edward Hyland was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Atlanta from 1956 to 1961.-Biography:...
- Joseph Mark McSheaJoseph Mark McSheaJoseph Mark McShea was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Allentown from 1961 to 1983.-Early life and education:...
- Francis BrennanFrancis BrennanFrancis John Joseph Brennan was an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Dean of the Roman Rota from 1959 to 1968, and then as Prefect of the Congregation for the Discipline of the Sacraments from 1968 until his death...
- Martin Nicholas LohmullerMartin Nicholas LohmullerMartin Nicholas Lohmuller, DD, JCD is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia from 1970 to 1994.-Biography:...
- Thomas Jerome WelshThomas Jerome WelshThomas Jerome Welsh was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Arlington and as Bishop of Allentown .-Early life and education:...
- Edward HughesEdward Hughes (bishop)Edward Thomas Hughes is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Metuchen from 1987 to 1997....
- Eusebius J. BeltranEusebius J. BeltranEusebius Joseph Beltran is an American prelate. He was the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City from 1993 until 2010. Before his appointment to Oklahoma City, Beltran was bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa from 1978 to 1992....
- John Joseph O'Connor
- William Henry KeelerWilliam Henry KeelerWilliam Henry Keeler is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Baltimore from 1989 to 2007 and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1994....
- Louis A. DeSimoneLouis A. DeSimoneLouis Anthony DeSimone is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia from 1981 to 1997.-Biography:Louis DeSimone was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Bridgeport...
- Francis B. SchulteFrancis B. SchulteFrancis Bible Schulte is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston from 1985 to 1988, and Archbishop of New Orleans from 1989 to 2001.-Biography:...
- John Patrick FoleyJohn Patrick FoleyJohn Patrick Foley is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. From 2007 until 2011, he was Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, having previously served as President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications from 1984 to 2007. He was...
- Francis X. DiLorenzoFrancis X. DiLorenzoFrancis Xavier DiLorenzo is a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu in Hawaii, and is currently the twelfth bishop of the Diocese of Richmond in Virginia.-Early life and career:...
- David B. ThompsonDavid B. ThompsonDavid Bernard Thompson is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Charleston from 1990 to 1999.-Biography:David Thompson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After studying at St...
- Joseph Anthony Galante
- Edward Peter CullenEdward Peter CullenEdward Peter Cullen is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the third Bishop of Allentown. His resignation was accepted on 27 May 2009 by Pope Benedict. . At the same time, Pope Benedict named Msgr...
- Robert P. MaginnisRobert P. MaginnisRobert Patrick Maginnis is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1996 to 2010.-Early life and education:...
- Joseph Francis MartinoJoseph Francis MartinoJoseph Francis Martino is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church and the Retired Bishop of Scranton. He served as bishop of Scranton until his resignation was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on 31 August 2009....
- Joseph Edward Kurtz
- Joseph A. Pepe
- Michael Francis Burbidge
- Joseph R. CistoneJoseph R. CistoneJoseph Robert Cistone is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the sixth and current Bishop of Saginaw.-Early life and education:...
- Joseph P. McFaddenJoseph P. McFaddenJoseph Patrick McFadden is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Formerly an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, he was installed as Bishop of Harrisburg on August 18, 2010.-Early life and education:...
- Kevin C. RhoadesKevin C. RhoadesKevin Carl Rhoades is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the ninth Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, having served as Bishop of Harrisburg from 2004 to 2009.-Early life:...
- Michael Joseph BransfieldMichael Joseph BransfieldMichael Joseph Bransfield is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who currently serves as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston.-Biography:...
- Daniel E. ThomasDaniel E. ThomasDaniel Edward Thomas, VG is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia.-Biography:...
- James GreenJames Green (archbishop)James Patrick Green is an American Roman Catholic archbishop and diplomat.-Priesthood:Green studied for the priesthood and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on 15 May 1976...
- Herbert BevardHerbert BevardHerbert Armstrong Bevard is a Roman Catholic bishop from the United States. He is currently serving as the Bishop of Saint Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands....
- Edmond FitzmauriceEdmond John FitzmauriceEdmond John Fitzmaurice was an Irish-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Wilmington from 1925 to 1960.-Biography:...
- Timothy C. SeniorTimothy C. SeniorTimothy Christian Senior is an American Roman Catholic prelate. He is currently an Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.-Early life and education:...
- John J. McIntyreJohn J. McIntyre (bishop)John J. McIntyre is an American Roman Catholic priest. He was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI on June 8, 2010 and ordained on August 6, 2010.-Biography:...
- Michael J. FitzgeraldMichael J. Fitzgerald (bishop)Michael J. Fitzgerald is an American Roman Catholic priest. He was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI on June 22, 2010 and ordained on August 6, 2010.-Early life and career:...