Saint John's Seminary (Massachusetts)

Updated on Oct 10, 2024

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Type Private, Graduate Affiliation Roman Catholic Acceptance rate 100% (2010) Phone +1 617-746-5423 Founded 1884		Established 1884 Rector James Patrick Moroney Undergraduate tuition and fees 21,650 USD (2015) Number of students 139 Dean Edward Riley

Vice Rector Christopher K. O'Connor Academic staff seminary: 9 F/T, 12 P/Tlay programs: 19 Address 127 Lake St, Brighton, MA 02135, USA Notable alumni John Anthony Dooher, John Michael D'Arcy, Alfred Clifton Hughes, Jonathan DeFelice, John P McDonough Similar Pope St John XXIII National, Hellenic College, New England Institute o, Newbury College, Boston Baptist College Profiles Facebook

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 114 seminarians and approximately 60 lay students, mostly from dioceses in New England.

The current rector is Msgr. James P. Moroney, professor of liturgy and executive secretary of the Vox Clara commission of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Founding

The construction of the Boston Ecclesiastical Seminary began in 1881, and Archbishop John Joseph Williams entrusted the seminary to the Sulpician 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.

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 Boston. 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 college. 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.

Enrollment statistics

(by academic year)

2001–2002: 86

2005–2006: 34

2007–2008: 63

2009–2010: 91 (81 diocesan seminarians and 10 religious)

2015–2016: 114 (78 diocesan seminarians and 36 religious)

2016-2017: 139

Participating dioceses

Most students are from dioceses in New England: in Massachusetts, from the Archdiocese of Boston and the Dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester; in Connecticut, from the Archdiocese of Hartford; and also from the dioceses of Burlington, Vermont, Manchester, New Hampshire, and Providence, Rhode Island.

In the academic year of 2014-2015, St. John's began receiving seminarians from the Diocese of Rochester, New York. That same year, the Diocese of Portland, which encompasses all of Maine, resumed sending seminarians. St. John's also serves as the seminary for a few men from dioceses outside the U.S.

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.

Formation Faculty

Rev. Msgr. James P. Moroney, S.T.L., Rector (Theology & Sacred Liturgy)

Rev. Christopher O'Connor, M.Div., Ph.L., S.T.L., Vice Rector (Philosophy)

Rev. Joseph Briody, S.T.L., S.S.L. (Sacred Scripture)

Rev. Msgr. Marc B. Caron, S.T.L., Director of Sacred Liturgy (Theology & Sacred Liturgy)

Very Rev. Romanus Cessario, O.P., S.T.D., M.A. (Theology)

Rev. Ryan W. Connors, S.T.L. (Theology)

Rev. James J. Conn, S.J., J.C.D., J.D., M.A., M.Div., A.M. (Canon Law)

Rev. David Pignato, S.T.D., J.D., Director of Pre-Theology (Theology)

Rev. Edward Riley, M.Div., Dean of Men & Director of Pastoral Formation

Rev. Stephen E. Salocks, M.Div., S.S.L. (Sacred Scripture)

Rev. Raymond Van De Moortell, Ph.D., M.L.I.S., Th.M., M.Div., Director of Human Formation (Philosophy & Theology)

Teaching Faculty

Rev. Dennis McManus, D.Litt. (Theo), M.A. (Sacred Liturgy)

Lay Faculty

Dr. Angelica Avcikurt, Ph.D., M.A.T. (Spanish)

Prof. Janet Benestad, M.A. (Philosophy and Social Doctrine)

Dr. Phillip Crotty, M.Sc., M.B.A., Ed.D. (Latin)

Dr. Stephen Fahrig, S.T.D. (Scripture)

Dr. Janet Hunt, FAGO, D.M.A. (Director of Sacred Music)

Prof. Paul Metilly, Ph.D. (Cand.), S.T.M., Interim Director of Intellectual Formation

Adjunct Faculty

Rev. John Grimes, Ph.D., D.Min., M.Div., S.T.M. (Pastoral Theology)

Rev. Peter Grover, O.M.V., S.T.L, Th.M. '90 (Greek)

Rev. Msgr. Robert Johnson, M.Div., M.A., S.T.B. (Sacred Liturgy)

Rev. Mark Mahoney, J.C.L. (Canon Law)

Dr. Leonard Maluf, S.S.L., S.T.D. (Sacred Scripture)

Rev. Mark Murphy, M.Div, M.A. '11 (Theology)

Dr. Ann Orlando, S.T.D., M.S.E.E., M.A. (Church History)

Dr. Richard Spinello, M.B.A., Ph.D. (Philosophy)

Full-Time Spiritual Direction Faculty

Rev. Michael MacInnis, O.F.M., Interim Director of Spiritual Formation

Rev. Msgr. Cornelius M. McCrae, M.A. (Spiritual Director)

Rev. Msgr. John R. McLaughlin, M.Div. (Director of Spiritual Formation)

Rev. Joseph F. Scorzello, Ph.D. S.T.L., M.A. (Spiritual Director & Philosophy)

Adjunct Spiritual Directors

Rev. David Barnes

Rev. Casey Beaumier, S.J.

Rev. David Cavanagh

Rev. Brian Dunkle, S.J.

Rev. John Grimes

Rev. James Mattaliano, S.J.

Rev. Paul McNellis, S.J.

Rev. Huy Nguyen

Rev. Linh Nguyen

Rev. José Ruisanchez

Rev. Michael Simone S.J.

Rev. Ronald Tacelli, S.J.

Location

St. John’s Seminary is located on Lake Street in Brighton, Massachusetts. The nearest transit station is the MBTA Boston College light-rail stop (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 Divinity 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.).

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 apologetics.

Accreditation

The Seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Athletics

Seminarians partake in sports including basketball, football, golf, softball, and soccer., including intramural games with BC club teams. Twice a year St. John's Seminary competes in softball games against Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary (Weston, MA) and Our Lady of Providence College Seminary (Providence, RI). With access to the Flynn Recreation Complex at Boston College, seminarians contend in intramural basketball and soccer leagues against Boston College 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 Banks, bishop of Green Bay 1985–2003

Hugh F. Blunt (1877–1957), priest and poet

George William Coleman, bishop of Fall River since 2003

Daniel Anthony Cronin, archbishop of Hartford 1992–2003

Richard Cushing, archbishop of Boston 1944–1970

John Michael D'Arcy, bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend 1985–2009

Jonathan DeFelice, OSB, president of Saint Anselm College

Daniel Francis Desmond, bishop of Alexandria (Louisiana) 1933–1945

George Albert Guertin, bishop of Manchester 1907–1931

Daniel Anthony Hart, bishop of Norwich 1995–2003

William A. Hickey, bishop of Providence 1921–1933

Alfred Clifton Hughes, bishop of Baton Rouge 1993–2002 and archbishop of New Orleans 2002–2009

Richard Lennon, bishop of Cleveland since 2006

Joseph Francis Maguire, bishop of Springfield 1977–1991

Richard Joseph Malone, bishop of Portland 2004–2012 and bishop of Buffalo since 2012

John Brendan McCormack, bishop of Manchester 1998–2010

John P. McDonough, Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force

Henry J. Meade, Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force

Roger Morin, bishop of Biloxi since 2009

John Bertram Peterson, professor, bishop of Manchester 1932–1944

Joseph John Rice, bishop of Burlington, 1910–1938

Nicholas Samra, Melkite Greek Catholic bishop of Newton, appointed 2011

William Laurence Sullivan (1872–1935), Unitarian minister

James Anthony Walsh (1867–1936), co-founder of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers

John Joseph Wright, professor, first bishop of Worcester 1950–1959, bishop of Pittsburgh 1959–1969, cardinal

Notable faculty

Romanus Cessario, O.P., Master of Sacred Theology of the Dominican Order, professor of systematic theology and member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Christopher J. Coyne, Bishop of Burlington, VT

James Patrick Moroney, rector, professor of liturgy and executive secretary of the Vox Clara commission

Louis Sebastian Walsh, Bishop of Portland (Maine), 1906-1924

Michael C. Barber, S.J., Bishop of Oakland, California, Director Emeritus-Spiritual Formation

Mark O'Connell, J.C.D. '90, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston, Judicial Vicar and Professor of Canon Law

Rectors

Under Sulpician administration:

1884–1889: John Baptist Hogan, 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 Peterson

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 Banks

1981–1986: Alfred Clifton Hughes

1986–1991: Thomas J. Daly

1991–1999: Timothy J. Moran

1999–2002: Richard G. Lennon

2002–2007: John A. Farren, OP

2007–2012: Arthur L. Kennedy

2012–present: James P. Moroney

References

Saint John's Seminary (Massachusetts) Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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