Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has announced his plan to consolidate Saint
Charles Borromeo Seminary's operations, as part of his ongoing reform
of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
“Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is the heart of our Church in
Philadelphia, and we remain dedicated to not only maintaining its
presence in our community, but strengthening it for many generations to
come,” Archbishop Chaput, the head of the Church in Philadelphia, said
March 7.
“Our commitment to providing the best possible program of priestly
formation for the benefit of our seminarians and the people they will
one day serve is unwavering.”
He added that the consolidation plan “will ensure the future viability
and sustainability of our Seminary now and in the future.”
The seminary currently occupies more than 75 acres and uses 19 different
buildings. The plan will consolidate facilities, leasing or selling
buildings and property which is currently underutilized. It will remain
at its location in Lower Merion Township.
Over the next three to five years, the philosophy, or college, division
of St. Charles Borromeo will be moved into vacant space within the
theology division. The theology division's building will be renovated
over that period.
St. Charles Borromeo will gain a “Spirituality Year,” akin to a
novitiate, which allows seminarians to devote a full year to discernment
and the spiritual life.
St. Charles Borromeo's spirituality year will commence in the 2014-2015
academic year. While in Denver, Archbishop Chaput had begun a
spirituality year at that archdiocese' St. John Vianney Theological
Seminary.
The reformed seminary will be able to support as many as 200
seminarians. The seminary will continue to provide formation for deacon
candidates, and provide classes for laymen at the associated Graduate
School of Theology.
The changes are a result of a review by the seminary's board of
trustees, which noted that the buildings and acreage comprising the
college division had been under-employed for some time. While the fate
of that portion of the campus is at yet indeterminate, it will be used
to sustain and support the seminary in the future.
The seminary's rector, an auxiliary bishop of the Philadelphia
archdiocese, said that “our Seminary has served as a leading institution
in the formation of Catholic men for the priesthood in the Archdiocese
of Philadelphia and dioceses across the country for over 180 years.”
Bishop Timothy C. Senior continued, saying, “while the Seminary evolves
and takes on a slightly different look in the coming years, our four
pillars of human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral growth will
remain strong.”
“We will be better poised than ever to prepare men to become servant leaders who proclaim the Gospel.”