St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
| St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary | |
|---|---|
| Short name | SVDP |
| Type | Regional Seminary |
| Status | Active |
| Sponsoring diocese(s) | Seven Dioceses of Florida (Archdiocese of Miami, Diocese of St. Augustine, Diocese of St. Petersburg, Diocese of Orlando, Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Diocese of Palm Beach, Diocese of Venice) |
| Partner dioceses | Archdiocese of Atlanta, Diocese of Charleston, Diocese of Savannah, Diocese of Raleigh, Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, Diocese of Beaumont, St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Chicago, Diocese of Las Cruces, Virgin Islands |
| Religious communities | Passionists |
| Operated by | Seven Dioceses of Florida |
| City | Boynton Beach |
| State / province | Florida |
| Country | United States |
| Address | 10701 S. Military Trail, Boynton Beach, Florida 33436-4899 |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Website | Official site |
| Levels of formation | Propaedeutic (Anima Christi), Pre-Theology, Theology (M.Div.) |
| Degrees | Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts (Philosophical Studies for Missionary Discipleship) (MAPS), Master of Arts (Theological Studies) (MATS), Anima Christi Propaedeutic Certificate, Certificate in Seminary Formation |
| Ecclesiastical province | Province of Miami |
| Interdiocesan | Yes |
St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary is a regional Catholic theological seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida, owned jointly by the seven dioceses of Florida and forming seminarians for dioceses across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and beyond. Established in 1963 as the first Catholic theological seminary south of Washington and east of New Orleans, it describes itself as the only fully bilingual theological seminary in the United States.
History
In 1955, Archbishop Joseph Hurley, sixth Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine, purchased more than 100 acres west of Boynton Beach that would later become the seminary's campus. In 1963, Coleman Carroll, the first Bishop of Miami, established the seminary as the first Catholic theological seminary south of Washington and east of New Orleans. It was entrusted to the Vincentian Fathers for its first eight years of operation, became an archdiocesan seminary in 1971 under Archbishop Carroll, and has been a regional seminary since 1981. It is today owned by the seven dioceses of Florida. More than 650 alumni have graduated and gone on to serve in parishes throughout Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, the Caribbean, and other parts of the United States. In 2013 the seminary celebrated 50 years of priestly formation, and it later undertook a capital campaign that added two new dormitories and modernized its older facilities.
Campus and Formation
The seminary offers a pre-theology program for students who have completed college without prior seminary experience, preparing them philosophically and theologically before they begin the main course of theological studies; these students typically complete the Master of Arts (Philosophical Studies for Missionary Discipleship) (MAPS) after two years. Its principal program is the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), a five-year program of holistic formation addressing the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral dimensions of priestly identity. The seminary also helps prepare permanent deacon candidates for the Archdiocese of Miami and the Diocese of Palm Beach, who study alongside lay students in the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) (MATS) program; lay students may also apply to the MAPS program. The Anima Christi propaedeutic program serves as an initial stage of formation.
Academics
Degree and certificate programs include the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts (Philosophical Studies for Missionary Discipleship) (MAPS), Master of Arts (Theological Studies) (MATS), the Anima Christi Propaedeutic Certificate, and a Certificate in Seminary Formation, along with ongoing-formation workshops.
Current Status
For the 2024–2025 academic year, the seminary welcomed a record number of seminarians, drawn from the seven dioceses of Florida as well as the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Dioceses of Beaumont, Charleston, Las Cruces, Raleigh, Savannah, the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of St. Thomas in Chicago, and the Virgin Islands; Passionist seminarians also study there.