St. John's Seminary (Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Saint John's Seminary, located in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, is a Catholic
major seminary
sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston
.
Founded in 1884, the seminary has 91 seminarians and approximately 60 lay students, mostly from dioceses in New England
.
The current rector is Most Rev. Arthur Kennedy
, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston.
Fathers. The school was completed in 1884, and the first students began classes there on September 22, 1884. The Seminary's first rector was John Baptist Hogan
.
The Seminary was incorporated under the laws of Massachusetts in 1892. In 1911, at the request of Archbishop William Henry O'Connell
, the Sulpicians withdrew from the seminary.
Saint John's Seminary adopted its present name in 1941.
. From a peak of 86 students in the academic year 2001-2002, enrollment fell to 34 for the year 2005-2006. The seminary recovered thereafter to reach a student population of 63 two years later.
During the 2000s, nearly all the Seminary's land and buildings were sold to Boston College
(BC), the neighboring Jesuit-run university. In 2001, BC leased St. Clement's Hall, formerly the site of the Seminary's undergraduate division, and it bought the property in June 2004. In May 2007, the Archdiocese sold the Seminary's open land, its library building and several other structures. Rector John Farren, OP resigned and protested the 2007 sale in a letter to Cardinal O'Malley.
After the land sales, the campus of the Seminary consists only of Saint John's Hall.
, Providence, Springfield, and Worcester
. A few seminarians are from dioceses outside the US.
College-level seminary candidates for the Archdiocese of Boston reside at Our Lady of Providence Seminary College in Providence, Rhode Island
and various other institutions.
(Green Line).
degree. There is also a program leading to the Master of Arts
in Theology.
In addition, "St. John's Seminary offers a two-year program of initial formation for those candidates who are college graduates and have no prior experience of formal preparation for the sacrament of Holy Orders." Those who complete the Pre-Theology Program may qualify to receive a Bachelor of Philosophy
(B.Phil.).
.
and by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
.
, seminarians contend in intramural basketball and soccer leagues against Boston College
students.
Under Sulpician administration:
Under archdiocesan administration:
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
major seminary
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...
sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
.
Founded in 1884, the seminary has 91 seminarians and approximately 60 lay students, mostly from dioceses in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.
The current rector is Most Rev. Arthur Kennedy
Arthur Kennedy (bishop)
Arthur Leo Kennedy is a Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, in Boston, Massachusetts.-Background:...
, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston.
History
Founding
The construction of the Boston Ecclesiastical Seminary began in 1881, and Archbishop John Joseph Williams entrusted the seminary to the SulpicianSociety of Saint-Sulpice
The Society of Saint-Sulpice is a Catholic Society of Apostolic Life named for Eglise Saint-Sulpice, Paris, in turn named for St. Sulpitius the Pious. Typically, priests become members of the Society of St. Sulpice only after ordination and some years of pastoral work. Uniquely, Sulpicians retain...
Fathers. The school was completed in 1884, and the first students began classes there on September 22, 1884. The Seminary's first rector was John Baptist Hogan
John Baptist Hogan
John Baptist Hogan , also known as Abbé Hogan, was an Irish-French Catholic theologian and educator. He was born near Ennis, County Clare, Ireland, and died at Saint-Sulpice, Paris, France....
.
The Seminary was incorporated under the laws of Massachusetts in 1892. In 1911, at the request of Archbishop William Henry O'Connell
William Henry O'Connell
William Henry O'Connell was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1907 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911.-Early life:...
, the Sulpicians withdrew from the seminary.
Saint John's Seminary adopted its present name in 1941.
Merger
Cardinal O'Connell Seminary, the archdiocesan minor seminary in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, was merged with Saint John's Seminary in 1968. In 1970 its programs were relocated to a Foster Street site in Saint Clement's Hall.Crisis and recovery after 2000
Enrollment at Saint John's declined drastically in the wake of the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of BostonSexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Boston
The sexual abuse scandal in Boston archdiocese was part of a series of Catholic sex abuse cases in the United States and Ireland. In early 2002, Boston Globe coverage of a series of criminal prosecutions of five Roman Catholic priests thrust the issue of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests...
. From a peak of 86 students in the academic year 2001-2002, enrollment fell to 34 for the year 2005-2006. The seminary recovered thereafter to reach a student population of 63 two years later.
During the 2000s, nearly all the Seminary's land and buildings were sold to Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
(BC), the neighboring Jesuit-run university. In 2001, BC leased St. Clement's Hall, formerly the site of the Seminary's undergraduate division, and it bought the property in June 2004. In May 2007, the Archdiocese sold the Seminary's open land, its library building and several other structures. Rector John Farren, OP resigned and protested the 2007 sale in a letter to Cardinal O'Malley.
After the land sales, the campus of the Seminary consists only of Saint John's Hall.
Current status
For the academic year 2009-2010 enrollment in the Seminary is 91, comprising 81 diocesan seminarians and 10 religious. Most students are from dioceses in New England, including the Archdiocese of Boston and the dioceses of Burlington, Fall River, ManchesterRoman Catholic Diocese of Manchester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the region of New England in the United States comprising the entire state of New Hampshire...
, Providence, Springfield, and Worcester
Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. The geographic boundaries of the diocese are the same as those of Worcester County, Massachusetts, the geographically largest county of the...
. A few seminarians are from dioceses outside the US.
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and various other institutions.
Location
St. John’s Seminary is located on Lake Street in Brighton, Massachusetts. The nearest transit station is the MBTA Boston College light-rail stopBoston College (MBTA station)
The Boston College station is the western terminus of the MBTA Green Line's B-branch . It is located at St Ignatius Square on the Boston College campus in Brighton, Massachusetts, near the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Lake Street.Originally called Lake Street, the station was once the...
(Green Line).
Seminary programs
As a major seminary, an institution providing formation for the Catholic priesthood, Saint John's offers a four-year program leading to the Master of DivinityMaster of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree. There is also a program leading to the 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...
in Theology.
In addition, "St. John's Seminary offers a two-year program of initial formation for those candidates who are college graduates and have no prior experience of formal preparation for the sacrament of Holy Orders." Those who complete the Pre-Theology Program may qualify to receive a Bachelor of Philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy is the title of an academic degree. The degree usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects...
(B.Phil.).
Programs for lay students
The Seminary's Theological Institute for the New Evangelization offers programs for lay people wishing to work in Roman Catholic ministry, leading to the degrees Master of Theological Studies for the New Evangelization, and Master of Arts in Ministry (MAM). These programs are based at a separate campus in accordance with norms of the Holy See. The MAM division of TINE also offers non-credit catechist training programs in evangelization and apologeticsApologetics
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
.
Accreditation
The Seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological SchoolsAssociation 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...
and by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. is the U.S. regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level, in the six-state New England region. It also provides accreditation for some...
.
Athletics
Seminarians partake in sports including basketball, football, golf, softball, and soccer. With access to the Flynn Recreation Complex at Boston CollegeBoston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, seminarians contend in intramural basketball and soccer leagues against Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
students.
Daily life
In addition to their daily schedule of classes and services in chapel, seminarians have off-campus pastoral assignments at least once per week. Most seminarians also have a "house job", such as sacristan or bookstore manager. Each seminarian meets his spiritual director at least once per month.Notable alumni
- Robert Joseph BanksRobert Joseph BanksRobert Joseph Banks was the tenth Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.-Biography:...
, bishop of Green Bay 1985-2003 - Hugh F. BluntHugh F. BluntMonsignor Hugh Francis Blunt, LL.D. , was a Catholic priest, author, poet, and apologist. He was born in Medway, Massachusetts to Irish immigrants Sgt. Patrick Blunt and Ann Mahon. Blunt began writing while attending St. Laurent College in Montreal. After his graduation in 1896, he attended St...
(1877-1957), priest and poet - George William ColemanGeorge William ColemanGeorge William Coleman is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, who currently serves as Bishop of Fall River.-Biography:...
, bishop of Fall River since 2003 - Daniel Anthony CroninDaniel Anthony CroninDaniel Anthony Cronin is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Fall River from 1970 to 1992, and Archbishop of Hartford from 1992 to 2003.-Early life and priesthood:...
, archbishop of Hartford 1992-2003 - Richard Cushing, archbishop of Boston 1944-1970
- John Michael D'ArcyJohn Michael D'ArcyJohn Michael D'Arcy is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the eighth diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, and holds the title of bishop emeritus. He was succeeded as diocesan bishop by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, who was named to the post by Pope...
, bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend 1985-2009 - Jonathan DeFeliceJonathan DeFeliceFather Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B. is the President of New England's third oldest Catholic college, Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Growing up in Bristol, Rhode Island, he graduated from Portsmouth Abbey School in 1965, and then attended Saint Anselm College, earning a bachelors...
, OSB, president of Saint Anselm CollegeSaint Anselm CollegeSaint Anselm College is a nationally ranked, private, Benedictine, Catholic liberal arts college in Goffstown, New Hampshire. Founded in 1889 by Abbot Hilary Pfrängle, O.S.B. of Saint Mary's Abbey in Newark, New Jersey, at the request of Bishop Denis M. Bradley of Manchester, New Hampshire, the... - Daniel Francis DesmondDaniel Francis DesmondDaniel Francis Desmond was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Alexandria in Louisiana from 1933 until his death in 1945.-Biography:...
, bishop of Alexandria (Louisiana) 1933-1945 - George Albert GuertinGeorge Albert GuertinGeorge Albert Guertin was an American Roman Catholic bishop.Guertin was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, of French Canadian parentage. After attending St. Hyacinthe College in Quebec and St. Charles College in Sherbrooke, he studied at St. John's Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts; he was the first...
, bishop of Manchester 1907-1931 - Daniel Anthony HartDaniel Anthony HartDaniel Anthony Hart was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Norwich from 1995 to 2003.-Biography:...
, bishop of Norwich 1995-2003 - William A. HickeyWilliam A. HickeyWilliam Augustine Hickey was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Providence from 1921 until his death.-Biography:...
, bishop of Providence 1921-1933 - Alfred Clifton HughesAlfred Clifton HughesAlfred Clifton Hughes is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the 13th Archbishop of New Orleans, having previously served as Bishop of Baton Rouge from 1993 to 2002. On June 12, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Gregory M...
, bishop of Baton Rouge 1993-2002 and archbishop of New Orleans 2002-2009 - Richard LennonRichard LennonRichard Gerard Lennon is the Roman Catholic bishop of Cleveland, Ohio, since May 15, 2006.-Background:A native of Arlington, Massachusetts, Lennon is the son of an Arlington, Mass. firefighter Lennon attended St. James the Apostle grammar school in St...
, bishop of Cleveland since 2006 - Joseph Francis MaguireJoseph Francis Maguire-External links:**...
, bishop of Springfield 1977-1991 - Richard Joseph MaloneRichard Joseph MaloneRichard Joseph Malone is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eleventh and current Bishop of Portland.-Biography:...
, bishop of Portland since 2004 - John Brendan McCormackJohn Brendan McCormack- External links :*****...
, bishop of Manchester 1998-2010 - John P. McDonoughJohn P. McDonough (chaplain)John P. McDonough is a former Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force.-Biography:Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1928, McDonough is an ordained Roman Catholic priest...
, Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force - Henry J. MeadeHenry J. MeadeHenry J. Meade was Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1925, Meade was an ordained Roman Catholic priest. He graduated from Saint Anselm College and Saint John's Seminary. Meade died on June 22, 2006.-Career:...
, Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force - Roger MorinRoger MorinRoger Paul Morin is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the third and current Bishop of Biloxi.-Early life and education:...
, bishop of Biloxi since 2009 - John Bertram PetersonJohn Bertram PetersonJohn Bertram Peterson was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Manchester from 1932 until his death in 1944.-Biography:...
, professor, bishop of Manchester 1932-1944 - Joseph John RiceJoseph John RiceJoseph John Rice was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Burlington from 1910 until his death in 1938.-Biography:...
, bishop of Burlington, 1910-1938 - Nicholas SamraNicholas SamraNicholas Samra is the eparch of the Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Newton in the United States, elected in 2011. He has written extensively on the subject of ecumenism and the Eastern Catholic Churches.-Early life and priesthood:...
, Melkite Greek Catholic bishop of Newton, appointed 2011 - William Laurence SullivanWilliam Laurence SullivanWilliam Laurence Sullivan was an American Unitarian clergyman, prolific author and literary critic, whose Letters to His Holiness, Pope Pius X , was the last work by a U.S...
(1872-1935), Unitarian minister - James Anthony WalshJames Anthony WalshJames Anthony Walsh was the co-founder of Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.- Background :The son of James Walsh and Hanna Shea, James Anthony was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts...
(1867-1936), co-founder of the Maryknoll Fathers and BrothersMaryknollMaryknoll is a name shared by three organizations that are part of the Roman Catholic Church and whose joint focus is on the overseas mission activity of the Catholic Church in the United States... - John Joseph Wright, professor, first bishop of Worcester 1950-1959, bishop of Pittsburgh 1959-1969, cardinal
Notable faculty
- Romanus Cessario, O.P., professor of systematic theology and member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas AquinasPontifical Academy of St. Thomas AquinasThe Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas was established on 15 October 1879 by Pope Leo XIII. The first Prefect was Cardinal Giuseppe Pecci a noted Thomist at the time...
- Christopher J. CoyneChristopher J. CoyneBishop Christopher J. Coyne is the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Indiana. He was appointed administrator by the Pope on September 21, 2011, upon the early retirement of Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein on grounds of ill health.Bishop Coyne was born in Woburn,...
, Auxiliary Bishop of Indianapolis - Louis Sebastian WalshLouis Sebastian WalshLouis Sebastian Walsh was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Portland from 1906 until his death in 1924.-Biography:...
, bishop of Portland (Maine), 1906-1924
Rectors
Here is a list of the rectors of the Seminary.Under Sulpician administration:
- 1884-1889: John Baptist HoganJohn Baptist HoganJohn Baptist Hogan , also known as Abbé Hogan, was an Irish-French Catholic theologian and educator. He was born near Ennis, County Clare, Ireland, and died at Saint-Sulpice, Paris, France....
, S.S. - 1889-1894: Charles B. Rex
- 1894-1901: John Baptist Hogan, S.S.
- 1901-1906: Daniel E. Maher, S.S.
- 1906-1911: Francis P. Havey
Under archdiocesan administration:
- 1911-1926: John Bertram PetersonJohn Bertram PetersonJohn Bertram Peterson was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Manchester from 1932 until his death in 1944.-Biography:...
- 1926-1933: Charles A. Finn
- 1933-1938: Joseph C. Walsh
- 1938-1950: Edward G. Murray
- 1950-1958: Thomas J. Riley
- 1958-1965: Matthew J. Stapleton
- 1966-1966: Lawrence J. Riley
- 1966-1971: John A. Broderick
- 1972-1981: Robert Joseph BanksRobert Joseph BanksRobert Joseph Banks was the tenth Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.-Biography:...
- 1981-1986: Alfred Clifton HughesAlfred Clifton HughesAlfred Clifton Hughes is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the 13th Archbishop of New Orleans, having previously served as Bishop of Baton Rouge from 1993 to 2002. On June 12, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Gregory M...
- 1986-1991: Thomas J. Daly
- -1991-1999: Timothy J. Moran
- 1999-2002: Richard G. LennonRichard LennonRichard Gerard Lennon is the Roman Catholic bishop of Cleveland, Ohio, since May 15, 2006.-Background:A native of Arlington, Massachusetts, Lennon is the son of an Arlington, Mass. firefighter Lennon attended St. James the Apostle grammar school in St...
- 2002-2007: John A. Farren, OP
- 2007-present: Arthur L. Kennedy