Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary
| Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary | |
|---|---|
| Short name | Pope St. John XXIII Seminary |
| Type | National Seminary |
| Status | Active |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Partner dioceses | More than 150 dioceses |
| Religious communities | More than 25 religious communities |
| Operated by | Diocesan priests |
| City | Weston, Massachusetts |
| State / province | Massachusetts |
| Country | United States |
| Address | 558 South Ave, Weston, MA 02493 |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Website | Official site |
| Levels of formation | Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, Pastoral |
| Degrees | Master of Divinity |
| Interdiocesan | Yes |
Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary is a Roman Catholic seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, dedicated to the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation of men aged 30 and older discerning a call to the priesthood. Founded in 1964 with the encouragement and blessing of Pope Paul VI, it was the first seminary in North America established for men answering the call to priesthood later in life, and it remains the only American seminary for such mature candidates administered by diocesan priests.
History
Richard Cardinal Cushing recognized the need for a seminary of this kind, and in 1964, with the encouragement and explicit blessing of Pope Paul VI, Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary was established as the first seminary in North America for men answering the call to priesthood later in life. In 1972 the Seminary was chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to grant the Master of Divinity degree. In 1983 the Seminary became an accredited member of the Association of Theological Schools. In the fall of 2007, the Seminary introduced an optional Pre-Theology Program for candidates whose bishops or religious superiors deem it appropriate.
Campus and Formation
The Seminary is located at 558 South Ave, Weston, MA 02493. Its formation program is based on the Ratio Fundamentalis of the Holy See, the Program of Priestly Formation (Sixth Edition) of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Pope John Paul II's post-synodal exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis, and it fosters the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation of its seminarians. Candidates are accepted from various professional backgrounds, including law, medicine, business, teaching, sales, banking, social work, and military service.
Academics
The Seminary is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to grant the Master of Divinity degree and is an accredited member of the Association of Theological Schools. Since fall 2007 it has offered an optional Pre-Theology Program for candidates whose bishops or religious superiors deem it appropriate.
Current Status
Candidates have come to the Seminary from more than 150 dioceses and 25 religious communities, and over 750 alumni serve in dioceses and religious communities throughout the world. As of the source material, the Rector is the Very Reverend Brian R. Kiely, and Msgr. William P. Fay, Ph.D. serves as Director of the Seminary's Vocation Team.