Theological College (Catholic University of America)

Last updated
Theological College
Seal of Theological College 2018.svg
Latin: Seminarium Sancti Sulpitii
Former names
Sulpician Seminary
(1917–1940)
TypeCatholic seminary
Established1917 (1917)
Religious affiliation
 Catholic Church (Catholic University of America, Society of Saint-Sulpice)
Rector Gladstone Stevens, P.S.S.
Vice-RectorChris Arockiaraj, P.S.S.
Students45
Location
Washington, D.C.
,
United States
Affiliations United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; Congregation for the Clergy
Website theologicalcollege.org
Theological College Theological College.JPG
Theological College

Theological College is the national Catholic diocesan seminary for the Latin Church in the United States. The school was founded in 1917 and is located in Washington, D.C. It is affiliated with the Catholic University of America and is owned and administered by priests of the Society of Saint-Sulpice.

Contents

It is located near the campus of CUA, across from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and close to other Brookland-area Catholic institutions such as Capuchin College, the house of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and the Dominican House of Studies. The larger neighborhood is for this reason referred to as "Little Rome".

History

In 1889, priests belonging to the Society of Saint Sulpice were asked to administer the divinity college of the Catholic University of America. In 1917, they began building their own seminary next to the university. The Sulpician Seminary was first run as an extension of Saint Mary Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, but became an independent institution in 1924. In 1940, the Catholic University school of theology assumed responsibility for training its seminarians, whereupon the seminary was renamed Theological College. [1]

Sulpician tradition

The formation program of Theological College is guided by the principles and ethos of the Sulpician Fathers as articulated by Father Jean-Jacques Olier, founder of the Society of St. Sulpice: “to live supremely for God in Christ Jesus our Lord, so much so that the inner life of His only Son should penetrate to the inmost depths of our heart and to such an extent that everyone should be able to say ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.'” Founded to reform the clergy in 1630s France, the Society retains its commitment of “developing men of character, educating effective priests, forming pastoral leaders and nurturing an apostolic spirit.”

The Society’s five hallmarks are a commitment to ministerial priesthood, the cultivation of an apostolic spirit, an emphasis on spiritual formation, the creation of a formational community, and the exercise of collegiality.

This approach gives special emphasis and recognition to the importance of mental prayer and spiritual direction. Particular devotion to Our Lady under the title Sedes Sapientiae, Seat of Wisdom, is another distinctive characteristic.

Academic programs

The Order of Saint-Sulpice focuses on training priests through its seminaries. [2] To that end, the Theological College provides priestly formation through three separate academic programs: a two-year certified pre-theology program; a theology program; and the Basselin scholars program for undergraduate-level seminarians. [1] The latter, an eponymous endowed scholarship of Theodore B. Basselin for “the very best and brightest seminarians”, is administered by the Catholic University school of philosophy and students complete both a Ph.B and a Ph.L in Philosophy through this program.

The theology program at Theological College offers three degree tracks for prospective seminarians: an S.T.B./M.Div. program, an S.T.B./S.T.L. program adding an extra year of studies after priestly ordination, and an S.T.B./J.C.L. program adding two extra years of study after priestly ordination.

The seminary houses and forms seminarians from the following dioceses: Charleston, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Los Angeles, Fort Worth, Little Rock, Lafayette, Louisville, Memphis, New York, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, Richmond, Rockville Centre, Salt Lake City, Santa Fe, St. Augustine, Syracuse, Washington, and Worcester. [3]

Rectors

No.NameYears served
1. Rev. Francis Havey, PSS1917-1924; 1926
2. Rev. John F. Fenlon, PSS1924-1925
3. Rev. J. Benjamin Tennelly, PSS1926-1931
4. Rev. Anthony Vieban, PSS1932-1944
5. Rev. Llyod P. McDonald, PSS1944-1949
6. Rev. John P. McCormick, PSS1949-1968
7. Rev. Eugene A. Walsh, PSS1968-1971
8. Rev. Edward J. Frazer, PSS1971-1976
9. Rev. Anthony F. Lobo, PSS1976-1982
10. Rev. Albert C. Giaquinto, PSS1982-1986
11. Rev. Lawrence B. Terrien, PSS1986-1992
12. Rev. Howard P. Bleichner, PSS1992-2002
13. Rev. Thomas Hurst, PSS2002-2007
14. Rev. Mel Blanchette, PSS2007-2011
15. Rev. Phillip J. Brown, PSS2011-2016
16. Rev. Gerald D. McBrearity, PSS2016–2020
17. Rev. Dominic G. Ciriaco, ex-PSS2020–2023
18. Rev. Gladstone Stevens, PSS2023-present

Faculty

The eighteenth and current rector of Theological College is the Reverend Gladstone Stevens, PSS, Ph.D., who assumed this position in August 2023. He succeeded Reverend Dominic Ciriaco, PSS, who served as rector from 2020 to 2023. The current vice-rector is Reverend Chris Arockiaraj, PSS, M.S., S.T.B., Ph.L., Ph.D., D. Min., The faculty includes six priests, five of whom are Sulpicians, and one permanent deacon who are appointed by the Sulpician Provincial Council. The position of rector must be approved by both the president of the Catholic University and the archbishop of Washington. [1]

Notable alumni

Theological College is the alma mater of over 1,500 priests, including 45 bishops and six cardinals. [2] These include:

Related Research Articles

The Society of Priests of Saint-Sulpice, also known as the Sulpicians, is a society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right for men, named after the Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris, where it was founded. The members of the Society add the nominal letters PSS after their names to indicate membership in the Congregation. Typically, priests become members of the Society of the Priests of St. Sulpice only after ordination and some years of pastoral work. The purpose of the society is mainly the education of priests and to some extent parish work. As their main role is the education of those preparing to become priests, Sulpicians place great emphasis on the academic and spiritual formation of their own members, who commit themselves to undergoing lifelong development in these areas. The Society is divided into three provinces, operating in various countries: the Province of France, Canada, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Joseph's Seminary and College</span> Major seminary of the Archdiocese of New York

St. Joseph's Seminary and College, sometimes referred to as Dunwoodie after the Dunwoodie neighborhood of Yonkers, New York in which it is located, is the major seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. Since 2012, it has also been the major seminary for the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Saint Mary of the Lake</span> Catholic seminary in Mundelein, Illinois, US

The University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML) is a private Roman Catholic seminary in Mundelein, Illinois. It is the principal seminary and school of theology for the formation of priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois. USML was chartered by the Illinois General Assembly in 1844. USML is often referred to by the name of its graduate program, Mundelein Seminary. Its compound name is University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's Seminary and University</span> Roman Catholic seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, US

St. Mary's Seminary and University is a Catholic seminary located within the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland; it was the first seminary founded in the United States after the Revolution and has been run since its founding by the Society of the Priests of Saint Sulpice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontifical North American College</span> Roman Catholic seminary in Rome

The Pontifical North American College (NAC) is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy, that prepares seminarians to become priests in the United States and elsewhere. The NAC also provides a residence for priests who are pursuing graduate work at other pontifical universities in Rome. The NAC also has a continuing education program for veteran priests.

St. Patrick's Seminary and University (STPSU) in Menlo Park, California, is a Roman Catholic undergraduate and graduate seminary whose primary mission is the formation of priests for dioceses in California and the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean-Jacques Olier</span> 17th-century French Catholic priest and founder of the Sulpicians

Jean-Jacques Olier, S.S. was a French Catholic priest and the founder of the Sulpicians. He also helped to establish the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal, which organized the settlement of a new town called Ville-Marie in the colony of New France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambrose Maréchal</span> French-American Catholic prelate (1764–1828)

Ambrose Maréchal, P.S.S. was a French-born Sulpician priest and prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the third archbishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Paul Seminary</span> Catholic seminary system in Minneapolis, U.S.

The Saint Paul Seminary (SPS) is a Catholic major seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. A part of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, SPS prepares men to enter the priesthood and permanent diaconate, and educates lay men and women on Catholic theology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint John's Seminary (Massachusetts)</span>

Saint John's Seminary, located in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, is a Catholic major seminary sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. The current rector is Fr. Stephen E. Salocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Joseph Seminary (Edmonton)</span>

St. Joseph Seminary is a Roman Catholic Seminary located in Edmonton, Alberta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Émilius Goulet</span> Catholic archbishop

Emilius Goulet, PSS was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of St. Boniface in the Province of Manitoba, Canada. He was appointed Archbishop by Pope John Paul II on June 23, 2001 and was consecrated in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Boniface, Manitoba on September 13, 2001 by Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte, Archbishop of Montreal; Archbishop Maurice Couture, R.S.V.(Religieux de Saint Vincent de Paul), Archbishop of Quebec (City); and Archbishop James Vernon Weisgerber, Archbishop of Winnipeg.

Sacred Heart Major Seminary is a private Roman Catholic seminary in Detroit, Michigan. It is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Detroit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Colleges</span>

The Roman Colleges, also referred to as the Pontifical Colleges in Rome, are institutions established and maintained in Rome for the education of future ecclesiastics of the Catholic Church. Traditionally many were for students of a particular nationality. The colleges are halls of residence in which the students follow the usual seminary exercises of piety, study in private, and review the subjects treated in class. In some colleges there are special courses of instruction but the regular courses in philosophy and theology are given in a few large central institutions, such as Pontifical Urbaniana University, the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Pontifical Lateran University, and the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint John Vianney Seminary (Denver)</span> Catholic seminary in Denver

Saint John Vianney Theological Seminary is a Catholic seminary in Denver, Colorado, dedicated to Saint John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests. It is located at 1300 South Steele Street in the Cory-Merrill neighborhood of Denver, on the campus of the St. John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization. Founded in 1999, St. John Vianney is run by the Archdiocese of Denver.

The Right Reverend Stephen McGill PSS was the sixth Bishop of Argyll and the Isles and second Bishop of Paisley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Séminaire de Montréal</span> School in Montreal

The Grand séminaire de Montréal is the centre for priestly formation of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint John Vianney Seminary (Minnesota)</span> Catholic seminary in Minnesota

St. John Vianney Seminary (SJV) is one of the largest Catholic college seminaries in the United States, located on the campus of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Representing 18 diocese throughout the nation, approximately 100 men are in formation annually. Established in 1968, SJV nurtures the seeds of a priestly vocation, preparing young men for major seminary through integral formation and discipleship in Christian character, a traditional Catholic program of spiritual growth, and a formative liberal arts education. The major seminary affiliated with SJV, the Saint Paul Seminary, is on the other side of the campus of the University of St. Thomas. Over 600 alumni had been ordained to the Catholic priesthood, including five who would go on to be bishops - one of whom, Blase J. Cupich, is a cardinal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary</span> Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana

Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary is a Catholic college seminary located in Indianapolis, Indiana, within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. The seminary takes its name from Bishop Simon Bruté, first bishop of the Diocese of Vinncennes, who came to Vincennes, Indiana, from Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, in 1834. Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary has provided college-level seminary formation since 2004. Seminarians from eight dioceses across the Midwestern United States reside at the seminary and take classes at Marian University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Major Seminary of Bogotá</span>

The Theological Seminary of Bogotá, commonly known as the Major Seminary of Bogotá is a Roman Catholic major seminary located in Bogotá, Colombia, and serving both the Archdiocese of Bogotá and the Diocese of Facatativá. With history dating back to 1581, it is the oldest seminary in the Americas, and today is the largest and most prominent seminaries in Colombia, with dozens of alumni having been appointed bishops, archbishops, and cardinals. In addition to religious leaders, two Colombian presidents have been associated with the seminary. José Manuel Marroquín, the 27th President of Colombia, studied there in the 1840s, and Miguel Abadía Méndez, who was president in the 1920s, taught Latin at the seminary in the early 20th century.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Mission and History". Theological College. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Theological College, Washington, D.C." What We Do. Sulpician Order. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Sending Dioceses". Theological College. Retrieved October 14, 2023.

38°55′51″N76°59′58″W / 38.93083°N 76.99944°W / 38.93083; -76.99944

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.