St. Joseph College Seminary
| St. Joseph College Seminary | |
|---|---|
| Short name | SJCS |
| Type | College Seminary |
| Status | Active |
| Affiliation | Belmont Abbey College |
| Sponsoring diocese(s) | Diocese of Charlotte |
| Operated by | Diocese of Charlotte |
| City | Mount Holly |
| State / province | North Carolina |
| Country | United States |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Website | Official site |
| Levels of formation | College |
St. Joseph College Seminary is a Catholic college seminary of the Diocese of Charlotte, located in Mount Holly, North Carolina, that forms priests for the diocese among the people and parishes they will one day serve. Founded by Bishop Peter J. Jugis, seminarians pursue their academic formation at Belmont Abbey College while living under the seminary's own program of prayer and daily life.
History
Bishop Peter J. Jugis founded St. Joseph College Seminary on March 19, 2016, citing the growth of the Catholic faith in North Carolina and the need for more priests to serve the diocese. Construction of a new seminary building began soon after, with the seminarians tracking the project's progress from the first footing (laid around March 2019) through framing, brickwork, and the completion of a cloister walk in late 2019 and early 2020. On September 15, 2020, Bishop Jugis presided over the official ribbon cutting and blessing of the new seminary building, two years after groundbreaking. The seminary is dedicated to St. Joseph as its patron.
Campus and Formation
The seminary's building in Mount Holly includes a cloister walk, a chapel, and residential wings; seminarians moved their belongings into the new building in 2020 after relocating from a former house used previously by the seminary. Formation follows the USCCB Program of Priestly Formation and includes a structured daily life (horarium), prayer and spiritual life, and discernment programs described on the seminary's website as "Quo Vadis" and "Vade Mecum." Seminarians also travel to visit parishes of the diocese as part of their formation.
Academics
Seminarians at St. Joseph College Seminary pursue their college-level academic studies at Belmont Abbey College, and the seminary's curriculum includes a program referred to as "The Capstone Course."
Notable Alumni
Among the seminary's 2020 graduating class:
- Matthew Dimock, Jr. (home parish: St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte) — continued priestly formation at Mount Saint Mary's Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Christian Goduti (home parish: St. Mark, Huntersville) — continued priestly formation at the Pontifical North American College, Rome
- Matthew Harrison (home parish: Sacred Heart, Salisbury) — continued priestly formation at the Pontifical North American College, Rome
- Kevin Martinez (home parish: St. Joseph, Asheboro) — continued priestly formation at Mount Saint Mary's Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Jose Palma (home parish: St. Joseph, Asheboro) — continued priestly formation at Mount Saint Mary's Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio
Current Status
St. Joseph College Seminary operates from its purpose-built facility in Mount Holly, North Carolina, having completed construction and celebrated its ribbon cutting and blessing in September 2020. It continues to form seminarians for the Diocese of Charlotte in partnership with Belmont Abbey College.