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St. Charles Borromeo Seminary - Wikipedia

  • ️Sun Mar 23 2025
St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

Student Life Center, Lower Gwynedd Campus

MottoExiit qui seminat
(The sower went forth to sow)
TypeSeminary
Private
EstablishedJune 1832

Religious affiliation

Roman Catholic Church
RectorKeith J. Chylinski
Location, ,

United States


40°12′05.9″N 75°13′59.6″W / 40.201639°N 75.233222°W
Websitewww.scs.edu

Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is a Roman Catholic seminary in Ambler, Pennsylvania, that is under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The oldest Catholic institution of higher learning in the Philadelphia region, the school is named after Charles Borromeo, an Italian saint from the Counter-Reformation.[1]

In August 2024, the seminary moved from its former site in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia to a new campus in Lower Gwynedd Township, Pennsylvania.[2]

Saint Charles was founded in June 1832 by Bishop Francis Kenrick in his home on Fifth Street in Philadelphia. At that time, all of the dioceses in the United States needed more American-born priests to serve the growing Catholic immigrant population.[3]In the beginning, the only faculty members at Saint Francis were Francis Kenrick and his brother, Reverend Peter Kenrick. Francis Kenrick later moved Saint Charles to three buildings on the site of a former church in the city.[4]

In April 1838, Saint Charles was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to grant academic degrees.[5] In January 1939, Kenrick moved the seminary to a three-story building at 18th and Race Streets in Philadelphia.[6]From 1841 to 1852, the Vincentian Order ran the seminary.

In 1863, Bishop James F. Wood purchased three properties in Overbrook to create a new Saint Charles campus. In September 1871, the preparatory college and theology divisions both moved to Overbrook. In December 1875, Wood dedicated the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception on the campus.

In 1909, Saint Charles began construction of the Archbishop Ryan Memorial Library in Overbrook.[3]

For an eleven-year period, the preparatory division of the seminary was located at Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania. The preparatory program was equivalent to the junior and senior years of high school and four years of college. By 1964, Saint Charles had a total enrollment of 550.[3] The archdiocese discontinued the high school program in 1968. Both Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger visited Saint Charles. Pope Francis stayed at Saint Charles during his 2015 visit to Philadelphia.[7][8]

In 2019, the archdiocese sold its Wynnewood property to Main Line Health. On May 23, 2024, workers moved the historic white cross on the Wynnewood campus to the Malvern Retreat House. It was initially erected in honor of John Paul II's 1979 visit to Philadelphia.[9]

Ribbon cutting ceremony, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, (2024)

Saint Charles moved in August 2024 to its new campus adjacent to Gwynedd Mercy University in Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania.[10][11][12] On September 8, 2024, Archbishop Nelson Pérez, Archbishop of Philadelphia, dedicated the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception on the new campus. On October 12, 2024, Pérez blessed and dedicated the campus. Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, offered remarks and was present for the blessing, along with the Seminary’s rector, Keith J. Chylinski, auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia. [13]

St. Charles is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. It consists of three divisions:

  • Priestly formation
  • School of Theological Studies
  • School of Diaconal Formation

This is a program for Catholic men who want to enter the priesthood. In accordance with the Program for Priestly Formation (PPF) issued by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, seminarians will complete four stages of priestly formation at Saint Charles:[14][15]

This first stage prepares seminarians for a life of prayer and study, along with a receptive attitude towards the formation process. It was previously known as the spiritual year.[16]When a seminarian completes the propaedeutic stage, he can go on to Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy in its College Seminary program.[17] If the candidate already has a Bachelor's Degree, they can enter a two-year program.

The second stage is one of prayer and contemplation of Jesus Christ. The seminarians will begin their study of philosophy in stage 2[18]

Configuration stage

[edit]

The third stage involves more prayer and study along with pastoral opportunities. At this stage, the seminarian should have a deeper understanding of how he can share his gift with the Catholic Church.[19]

Vocational synthesis

[edit]

After completing the four stages of priestly formation, seminarians can continue to the four-year curriculum within the School of Theological Studies

School of Theological Studies

[edit]

The School of Theological Studies (STS) is a graduate theology program for priests, members of Religious orders and laypeople of any religious denomination, both men and women. STS conducts evening and daytime classes during the summer, on both the graduate and undergraduate levels as well as various non-certificate programs.[20] The STS offers a Master of Arts in theology degree.

School of Diaconal Formation

[edit]

The School of Diaconal Formation (SDF) is a program for Catholic laymen to become permanent deacons. Candidates complete six years of formation at SDF before their ordination as permanent deacons.[21]

At the start of the 2024–2025 academic year, Saint Charles had a total enrollment of 140 seminarians. These men came from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, as well as the seminary's 14 partner dioceses and religious orders. The partner dioceses include:[22]

The partner religious congregations and orders include:

Name Dates served
Bishop Francis Kenrick 1832–1835
Reverend Peter Kenrick 1835–1837
Edward Barron 1837–1839
Michael O'Connor 1839–1841
Mariano Maller 1841–1847
John B. Tornatore 1847–1848
Thaddeus Amat y Brusi 1848–1852
John B. Tornatore 1852–1853
William O'Hara 1853–1861
Maurice A. Walsh 1861–1864
James O’Connor 1864–1872
James Corcoran 1872–1873
Charles P. O’Connor 1873–1879
William Kieran 1879–1886
John Fitzmaurice 1886–1898
Patrick J. Garvey 1898–1908
Henry T. Drumgoole 1908–1920
Edmond Fitzmaurice 1920–1925
Joseph M. Corrigan 1925–1936
Vincent L. Burns (1891–1960) 1936–1946
Francis Furey 1946–1958
John P. Connery 1958–1966
Thomas Welsh 1966–1974
Vincent L. Burns (1926–1997) 1974–1985
Francis X. DiLorenzo 1985–1988
Daniel A. Murray 1988–1994
James Molloy 1994–1999
Michael Burbidge 1999–2004
Joseph G. Prior 2004–2010
Shaun Mahoney 2010–2012
Timothy C. Senior 2012–2022
Keith J. Chylinski 2022–present
  1. ^ Colleges in the Middle Atlantic States 2009 (24 ed.). Peterson's. 18 August 2008. ISBN 978-0-7689-2555-5.
  2. ^ "Seminarians Move in to Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary's New Campus to Kick Off 2024-2025 Academic Year (Press Release 16 August 2024)". Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Shellem, John J. (1964). "The Archbishop Ryan Memorial Library of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook, Pa". Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia. 75 (1): 53–55. ISSN 0002-7790.
  4. ^ "History". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  5. ^ Connolly, James (1976). The History of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
  6. ^ Kirlin, Louis Joseph (1909). Catholicity in Philadelphia from the earliest missionaries down to the present time. Philadelphia: John Joseph McVey.
  7. ^ O'Hearn, Erin (September 24, 2015). "Final Preps for the Pope At Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary". 6abc Action News. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  8. ^ Wellington, Elizabeth (September 24, 2015). "What Francis will sleep on and eat from in Philadelphia". Philly.com. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  9. ^ Brandt, Joe; Strickland, Raymond; Baietto, Marcella (2024-05-23). "Historic cross built for Pope John Paul II's Philadelphia visit is being relocated to Malvern - CBS Philadelphia". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  10. ^ Brubaker, Harold. "Records show how much St. Charles Borromeo Seminary property fetched in last month's sale". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  11. ^ "St. Charles Borromeo Seminary property, in Lower Merion Township, sold to Main Line Health, officials say". FOX 29 Philadelphia. 2019-05-25. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  12. ^ "Archbishop Nelson J. Perez appoints Bishop Timothy Senior, Chancellor of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, Father Keith Chylinski Rector, Effective July 1, 2022". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
  13. ^ https://archphila.org/archbishop-perez-to-bless-and-dedicate-saint-charles-borromeo-seminarys-new-campus/
  14. ^ "Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition". usccb.cld.bz. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  15. ^ "Priestly Formation". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  16. ^ "Propaedeutic Stage". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  17. ^ "Intellectual Dimension". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  18. ^ "Discipleship Stage". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  19. ^ "Configuration Stage". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  20. ^ "About". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  21. ^ "School of Diaconal Formation". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  22. ^ "Partner Dioceses & Religious Communities". Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. Retrieved 2023-12-13.