Good Catholic seminaries?

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Mickey_Jackson

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I am a high school student considering entering the seminary, but I have heard horror stories about so-called “Catholic” institutions that are completely heterodox. What are the best Catholic seminaries in terms of orthodoxy and faithfulness to the Pope and the Magesterium? What are the ones to avoid?

Are there any (outside of the FSSP, which I don’t think I want to join) that offer good instruction in Gregorian chant and in saying the Mass in the traditional style (i.e. Novus Ordo ad orientum, in Latin, with chant)?
 
Have you talked with the vocation director of your diocese or the religious order you’re interested in? They would know where their seminarians go.
 
Mickey_Jackson said:
I am a high school student considering entering the seminary, but I have heard horror stories about so-called “Catholic” institutions that are completely heterodox. What are the best Catholic seminaries in terms of orthodoxy and faithfulness to the Pope and the Magesterium? What are the ones to avoid?

Are there any (outside of the FSSP, which I don’t think I want to join) that offer good instruction in Gregorian chant and in saying the Mass in the traditional style (i.e. Novus Ordo ad orientum, in Latin, with chant)?
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Usually when you go to the seminary, a diocese or religious order sponsors you. It isn’t your decision where you go- they send you where they want you to go. They should still consider your needs and your strengths. I imagine at some point- even after you are done with seminary, you would be able to take classes in Gregorian chant. I am sure many seminaries offer classes in chant though.
 
Mickey_Jackson said:
I am a high school student considering entering the seminary, but I have heard horror stories about so-called “Catholic” institutions that are completely heterodox. What are the best Catholic seminaries in terms of orthodoxy and faithfulness to the Pope and the Magesterium? What are the ones to avoid?

Are there any (outside of the FSSP, which I don’t think I want to join) that offer good instruction in Gregorian chant and in saying the Mass in the traditional style (i.e. Novus Ordo ad orientum, in Latin, with chant)?
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You need to pick your diocese or order based on orthodoxy, they will determine what seminary you go to.

As far as I know, Denver, St. Louis, KC, and New York have notably orthodox bishops and seminarys. I have also heard good things about St. Mary’s in Emmittsburg, MD.

Once you narrow down your choice of order/diocese, you can ask specific questions here.

What diocese are you from?

May God Bless you in you vocation.
 
bilop said:
You need to pick your diocese or order based on orthodoxy, they will determine what seminary you go to.

As far as I know, Denver, St. Louis, KC, and New York have notably orthodox bishops and seminarys. I have also heard good things about St. Mary’s in Emmittsburg, MD.

Once you narrow down your choice of order/diocese, you can ask specific questions here.

What diocese are you from?

May God Bless you in you vocation.
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Thanks for the tip. I’m from Tucson, and as far as I can tell our bishop is reasonably orthodox. He was the one who stopped Bishop Grumbleton from speaking at a Call to Action meeting in Tucson a few months back.
 
There is a new University of Sacramento in Sacramento that is run by Legionairs of Christ. They are very orthodox. They are affiliated with a boys pre-seminary for high school aged boys located not too many miles from Sacramento in Colfax, CA. The Legionairs are putting on a father/son camp-out on April 5 in Colfax that will be a mini-retreat. There will be spiritual direction, confession, etc. Boys of all ages are invited to join their dads for the camp-out.
 
Mickey_Jackson said:
Thanks for the tip. I’m from Tucson, and as far as I can tell our bishop is reasonably orthodox. He was the one who stopped Bishop Grumbleton from speaking at a Call to Action meeting in Tucson a few months back.
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Yes, I’ve heard positive things about him. Are you interested in the diocesan priesthood or an order? Normally, if diocesan, you would contact your own diocese’ vocation director. However, if there was a reason you wanted to serve elsewhere you could apply to another diocese. If you want to be an order priest, there are lots to choose from.

God Bless
 
Many dioceses have a lot of information for religious vocations on their website, but the Diocese of Tucson only has their contact information. In any case, I would recommend setting up an appointment with your Vocation’s Director. You can find his contact information online:

diocesetucson.org/vocationsoffice.html

I’m setting up an appointment with my VD next Monday. I pray both of us receive the direction we need at this time.

God Bless!
 
Mickey_Jackson said:
I am a high school student considering entering the seminary, but I have heard horror stories about so-called “Catholic” institutions that are completely heterodox. What are the best Catholic seminaries in terms of orthodoxy and faithfulness to the Pope and the Magesterium? What are the ones to avoid?

Are there any (outside of the FSSP, which I don’t think I want to join) that offer good instruction in Gregorian chant and in saying the Mass in the traditional style (i.e. Novus Ordo ad orientum, in Latin, with chant)?
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Finding one with exactly that will be hard. For several reasons, mainly being, many dioceses in the past have not wanted priests trained in all of that and are no just warming to the ideas. Secondly, your Bishop will pick which seminary to send you too. You could quite possible make suggestions as to where you would like to go. He may or may not take it into consideration.

The big things I would be worried about for you is finding a College formation seminary that will provide you with oppritunities to learn Gregorian Chant and Latin. The Major seminary you go too is the one where you will have the most instruction in the Mass. Really you don’t even need a college seminary w/ Chant, although it would be nice.

Take Latin and Greek! They will be great for you to know.

I’m pretty sure there is a Legionares Seminarian at the seminary at my college. He seems to be real orthodox.

The other thing to consider is, if you are real interested in the Tridintine Mass is to try and go to the FFSP seminary, while be sponsered by your dioceses. You dont join FSSP then, you just get trained by them. But they wont teach you Novos Ordo there.
 
Mickey_Jackson said:
I am a high school student considering entering the seminary, but I have heard horror stories about so-called “Catholic” institutions that are completely heterodox. What are the best Catholic seminaries in terms of orthodoxy and faithfulness to the Pope and the Magesterium? What are the ones to avoid?

Are there any (outside of the FSSP, which I don’t think I want to join) that offer good instruction in Gregorian chant and in saying the Mass in the traditional style (i.e. Novus Ordo ad orientum, in Latin, with chant)?
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You might consider St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.
web: scs.edu/

And the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius will teach you the Extraordinary Form of the Mass and the Ordinary Form of the Mass in partial Latin, completely in Latin, in ad orientem, etc. You can either become a Canons Regular, while living in Chicago in community and they will help you find a seminary and whatnot… OR you can be ordained a priest and then contact the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius to request to be trained for such things…canons-regular.org/ and sanctamissa.org/
 
This is an old post, but I thought I may be able to help for the benefit of others who are looking. I do formation ministry for my community.

If a man joins a diocese, that bishop has a seminary to which he sends his seminarians. The seminarian does not have a choice. If you don’t like the seminary used by your bishop you have to find another diocese. However, this is not as easy as it sounds. No bishop may accept a candidate from outside of his diocese without the permission of the bishop where the candidate resides. Both bishops will want to know why someone wants to enter a diocese outside of his home. The whole idea of diocesan seminaries is that they respond to the vocations of the local Church. Dioceses are not allowed to compete with each other for vocations. I should add here that if you opt out of joining your diocese to join another and later you decide that you want to be closer to your family and want to return to your home diocese, the bishop may deny you incardination. It’s not the same as joining a religious order and deciding that you do not have a vocation to be a religious and would prefer to be a secular man. Most bishops have no problems admiting former religious, but they do have a problem admitting someone who shunned his home diocese for another diocese.

If a man enters a religious community, he does not attend the seminary. We send our religious to theology houses, universities or colleges of theology of our choosing. The individual religious has no opinion on the matter. He is bound by obedience to attend classes where the religious superior chooses for him. This is always going to be near the house of formation, because it’s practical and cost effective. If the diocesan seminary is available and there is room, we do send religious to classes there, but they live at the house of formation, not at the seminary.

If you joine a society, priestly fraternity, secular institute, secular order, clerical institute or clerks regular, you attend a seminary or college of theology where the institute has a contract. They usually have contracts to keep costs down.

I hope this information is helpful to someone.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
There is a seminary near me…the Seminary of Immaculate Conception…I don’t know that much about it but it is beautiful and I do know a great priest who teaches there…icseminary.edu
 
dashso40 said:
Hello…no, it is in Huntington ,Long Island…🙂
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Oh OK. I asked because I studied philosophy at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Troy, NY. It was a Franciscan college of philosophy. I don’t know if it’s still open. It’s not my community. We were guests there. They were OFM and we’re OSF.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
bilop said:
As far as I know, Denver, St. Louis, KC, and New York have notably orthodox bishops and seminarys. I have also heard good things about St. Mary’s in Emmittsburg, MD.
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For the record, it’s MOUNT St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, not St. Mary’s. There is a St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore.
 
Mickey_Jackson said:
I am a high school student considering entering the seminary, but I have heard horror stories about so-called “Catholic” institutions that are completely heterodox. What are the best Catholic seminaries in terms of orthodoxy and faithfulness to the Pope and the Magesterium? What are the ones to avoid?

Are there any (outside of the FSSP, which I don’t think I want to join) that offer good instruction in Gregorian chant and in saying the Mass in the traditional style (i.e. Novus Ordo ad orientum, in Latin, with chant)?
Click to expand...
You don’t need to join the FSSP to attend their seminary. You just need to talk to your Bishop and he needs to agree.
 
I know this is an old post.

For someone coming out of high school, I recommended a few things:
  1. Early in your senior year, talk to your parish priest and the diocesan vocation director. You can do the paperwork, interviews, screening, etc. and possibly become a college seminarian the fall after graduation. A college seminary (such as Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas) is a good place for discernment.
In the event should you discern a year or two after beginning that you are not called, you will have some college credits that can be applied toward a B.A. or B.S. in another discipline, you will be under 22 years old, and have some good formation that will be helpful in your personal, spiritual, and professional life.
  1. Visit some formation houses, seminaries, and attend retreats if you can. Look at requirements, some want you to be 18 years old to visit, particularly if you are doing a come-and-see weekend. I recall a few years ago Fr. John Trigilio helping with a men’s retreat at a seminary (I think it was the Mount) for high school and college age men.
  2. Look at the programs at Franciscan University of Steubenville and Ave Maria University. They have pre-theologate programs that you can attend on your own dime. I don’t know if Thomas Aquinas College or John Paul the Great (which are in California) have similar programs. If you are called, you can find a diocese or an order before going on for further formation.
  3. If you and your vocation director think you are not quite ready to enter seminary (and your pocketbook is light), consider enrolling at a state college with a good Catholic Newman Center. You could take basic courses, and take some philosophy classes, and get involved at the Newman Center. If you would rather stay local, take some basic courses (including philosophy) at a junior college, and get involved doing something in your local parish, like teaching CCD to elementary school kids.
  4. If you go to a Catholic high school, you might want to meet with a counselor or a teacher and ask them for advice. My opinion is a public high school teacher or guidance counselor (I graduated from a large public high school) would not know, unless he or she is an active, practicing Catholic.
Hope this helps a little.
 
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