Where can I find a good solid Seminary in CA?

[saoagostino]

Hello,
This is my first time posting and I don’t know if this is the right category to post this thread, but I am sure I will soon find out.
I live in the Diocese of Fresno and I am discernig a vocation to the priesthood. The seminaries that the Diocese sends their seminarians to are St. John’s in Camarilo, St. Patrick in Menlo Park and Mt. Angel in Oregon. I’ve narrowed it down to St. Patrick’s and Mt. Angel.
I was wondering if anybody might have some advice or inside information about these two seminaries. If anyone knows anybody who is attending or has attended these two seminaries your (name removed by moderator)ut would be appreciated? Thanks.

 

[FCEGM]

Hello,
This is my first time posting and I don’t know if this is the right category to post this thread, but I am sure I will soon find out.
I live in the Diocese of Fresno and I am discernig a vocation to the priesthood. The seminaries that the Diocese sends their seminarians to are St. John’s in Camarilo, St. Patrick in Menlo Park and Mt. Angel in Oregon. I’ve narrowed it down to St. Patrick’s and Mt. Angel.
I was wondering if anybody might have some advice or inside information about these two seminaries. If anyone knows anybody who is attending or has attended these two seminaries your (name removed by moderator)ut would be appreciated? Thanks.

Although I think St. Patrick’s has improved, Mt. Angel would be an excellent choice. The Discalced Carmelite Friars of the California-Arizona Province send their students there (and have built their own House of Studies in nearby).

 

[saoagostino]

Thank you Frances, for your (name removed by moderator)ut I really appreciate it. I just recently got in contact with a professor from St. Patrick’s, Dr. Charles James whose articles appear in the NOR, and he also talked about St. Patrick’s improval. He’s in charge of the Pre-Theology program which gives me hope because of his faithfulness to the Holy Father, but I still have my reservations about St. Patrick’s. I have heard good things about Mt. Angel, but on going on its website their course catalog just does not impress me like the Josephinum or St. John Vianney’s in Denver. My Diocese has sent a seminarian to the Josephinum, but not to St. John Vianney’s. It would be nice to go to either one of those two, but thus far the Vocations Director is intent on keeping the seminarians on the West Coast.
Please keep me in your prayers,
Paul

 

[FCEGM]

Thank you Frances, for your (name removed by moderator)ut I really appreciate it. I just recently got in contact with a professor from St. Patrick’s, Dr. Charles James whose articles appear in the NOR, and he also talked about St. Patrick’s improval. He’s in charge of the Pre-Theology program which gives me hope because of his faithfulness to the Holy Father, but I still have my reservations about St. Patrick’s. I have heard good things about Mt. Angel, but on going on its website their course catalog just does not impress me like the Josephinum or St. John Vianney’s in Denver. My Diocese has sent a seminarian to the Josephinum, but not to St. John Vianney’s. It would be nice to go to either one of those two, but thus far the Vocations Director is intent on keeping the seminarians on the West Coast.
Please keep me in your prayers,
Paul

Paul, you are certainly in my prayers.

You might like to give the rector of the Carmelite House of Studies a call; he would be able to give you first-hand information on Mt. Angel. Here’s the contact information (the rector there now is Fr. Christopher LaRocca):

thecarmelites.org/Combined%20students%20and%20novices.htm

 

[threej_lc]

I’m justa sitting away here in my dorm at Mt. Angel seminary procrastinating from writing my Philosophy paper, and I stumble onto this thread. Holy Spirit at work!

PM me if you have any questions about the place.

But yeah, Mt. Angel is a great place. Fairly orthodox and the student body is rock-solid. Although my own Franciscan-like spirituality clashes with the Benedictine’s from time to time…

Josh

 

[Ave_Maria_1]

I have also heard good things about Mt. Angel.

The seminary in Denver has somewhere between 90-100 men and I hear there is a waiting list now. They do take a limited number from other dioceses.

I have a friend there who is a deacon and will be ordained in May. yeah.

 

[otjm]

I understand someone wanting to look into seminaries; but it seems to me that one would be required to go where one’s bishop directs…

As in, unless you are planning on changing diocese, you might want to start with the vocations director rather than trying to pick a seminary to go to. It isn’t exactly like getting an advanced degree and then going to the bishop and expecting him to ordain you.

 

[threej_lc]

I understand someone wanting to look into seminaries; but it seems to me that one would be required to go where one’s bishop directs…

As in, unless you are planning on changing diocese, you might want to start with the vocations director rather than trying to pick a seminary to go to. It isn’t exactly like getting an advanced degree and then going to the bishop and expecting him to ordain you.

Whereas it is true that the bishop has final say, and the seminarian has obedience to their bishop, this does not mean the bishop isn’t interested in the seminarian’s (name removed by moderator)ut. The bishop wants to send his seminarians to what would be best for both him and the diocese. If the seminarian has additional information to help in that process in determining what is best for him personally, it is more than reasonable, and expected, to bring that to your bishop or vocations director. But always in humility and obedience.

Josh

 

[otjm]

Whereas it is true that the bishop has final say, and the seminarian has obedience to their bishop, this does not mean the bishop isn’t interested in the seminarian’s (name removed by moderator)ut. The bishop wants to send his seminarians to what would be best for both him and the diocese. If the seminarian has additional information to help in that process in determining what is best for him personally, it is more than reasonable, and expected, to bring that to your bishop or vocations director. But always in humility and obedience.

Josh

Um, some are, and some aren’t. In addition, in the real world, one is dealing with those unde the bishop.

In plain English, the world is political, and although the Church is not, there are those within the Church who are.

I don’t want to get into a debate about what constitutes “orthodox” or “Liberal” and “conservative” for several reasons; it gets off the point of the thread, and unless one starts with clearly stating where one stands (a long expostion, not a cheap “I’m orthodox” or whatever), no one else really can determine what that individual is saying, as that person is most often using their own position on the scale to determine others’ places on the scale in reference to them.

In short: If you ar two steps two the right of Attila the Hun, then Attila is more liberal than you; and if you are three steps tot he left of Trotsky…

The main point I am making is that if you are dealing with someone in the Vocations office (where, undoubtedly you will end up at some point in the process), you may find yourself blackballed if they perceieve you to be significantly different from their world view.

I have never been able to substantiate the rumors (they came from a priest I know whom I consider to be orthodox and moderate - neither liberal nor conservative) that there were priests being ordained who were conservative, and they were ending up on the wrong end of the stick within their dioceses - being shuffled around, getting troublesome posts, and not becoming pastors. The information was detailed enough to make me believe that it wasn’t just rumors.

Don’t misunderstand me; I am all for orthodoxy. I have, however, heard it defined at times in a way that seems to say that Rome is not orthodox.