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Saint John Vianney Seminary (Minnesota)

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Saint John Vianney College Seminary
The Chapel at Saint John Vianney College Seminary
MottoMen in Christ. Men of the Church. Men for Others.
TypePrivate
Diocesan Seminary
Minor Seminary
Established1968
Religious affiliation
Catholic Church
PresidentArchbishop Bernard Hebda
Vice-presidentVery Rev. Jonathan Kelly
RectorVery Rev. Jonathan Kelly
Students100
Address
2110 Selby Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota
,
St. Paul
,
MN
,
United States
CampusSuburban
Sponsoring dioceseArchdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
NicknameSJV
AffiliationsATS
MascotJacks
Websitesjvseminary.org

St. John Vianney Seminary (SJV) is one of the largest Catholic college seminaries in the United States, located on the campus of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Representing 20 dioceses throughout the nation, approximately 100 men are in formation annually. Established in 1968, SJV nurtures the seeds of a priestly vocation, preparing young men for major seminary through integral formation and discipleship in Christian character, a traditional Catholic program of spiritual growth, and a formative liberal arts education. The major seminary affiliated with SJV, the Saint Paul Seminary, is on the other side of the campus of the University of St. Thomas. Over 600 alumni had been ordained to the Catholic priesthood, including five who would go on to be bishops - one of whom, Blase J. Cupich, is a cardinal.[1]

History

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Background

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Prior to the founding of Saint John Vianney Seminary, students received their education in a "6-6" plan at Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary and the Saint Paul Seminary. Students would receive four years of high school education and two years of philosophy at Nazareth Hall, and two years of philosophy and four years of theology at the Saint Paul Seminary. In 1959, Archbishop William O. Brady ordered a feasibility study for a "4-4-4" plan for priestly formation: four years of study at Nazareth Hall, four years of study at the College of Saint Thomas, and four years of study at the Saint Paul Seminary.[2]: 256  This plan was overwhelmingly supported. However, due to declining enrollment after the Second Vatican Council, by 1967 the 4-4-4 plan seemed no longer feasible and there was a stronger desire to create a college seminary at the University of St. Thomas and to close Nazareth Hall.[2]: 259 

Establishment and Early Years

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Saint John Vianney Seminary was thus founded in 1968. It initially existed in Loras Hall and Cretin Hall next to the Saint Paul Seminary, but the faculty of SPS were not pleased with the proximity the college seminary had to the major seminary.[2]: 258  In 1972, the seminary residence moved to Brady Hall on campus of the College of St. Thomas. In January 1982, meetings were held to begin planning a separate dedicated building for the seminary.[2]: 279-281  Groundbreaking for the new building took place in 1982.[3] The new seminary building was constructed on the north campus of the University of St. Thomas, just northwest of Ireland Hall and east of Flynn Hall. The ground floor of the seminary has offices for the in-house priests and academic and administration staff, as well as guest rooms. A simple chapel was also constructed on the first floor.

The original chapel

Four residence floors are above the ground floor.

Zucchetto of Benedict XVI on display in Pope Benedict Room

The basement contains a recreation room, which was named the Pope Benedict XVI Room in the 2000s. Cardinal Ratzinger met with then-Rector Richard Pates in that room on a seminary visit in the 1970s. On display in the room is a zucchetto of Pope Benedict XVI, given to a seminarian from SJV who visited Rome and extended a new one to the Pope as he passed by; the Pontiff then exchanged the new one for his own.

2000s

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Enrollment throughout the 1980s and 1990s generally remained low. In 1999, Fr. Bill Baer was appointed rector and under his tenure, enrollment reached an all-time high.[4]

In 2010, Fr. Michael Becker was appointed as rector. In 2013, the seminary was the largest college seminary in the United States with over 130 seminarians and 27 sponsoring dioceses.[5] The seminarians at SJV represented about 10% of all college seminarians in the United States.[6][7]

The current rector of the seminary, Fr. Jonathan Kelly, was appointed by Archbishop Bernard Hebda in 2020.[8] In 2020, construction began on an addition which included a new chapel, additional guest rooms, priest suites, and a rooftop terrace.[9][10] The renovations were completed in early 2023 and the chapel was dedicated on April 20, 2023.[11]

Student Life

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Last Chance Mass

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Last Chance Mass is an outreach offered by the seminary to the students of the University of St. Thomas and the surrounding community. Every Sunday night at 9pm during the academic year, Mass is offered in the SJV chapel to the general public by the rector of the Seminary, with refreshments following.[12] It was originally for the football players of the University of St. Thomas.

Caruso's Crew

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When Coach Glenn Caruso took over the University of St. Thomas football team in 2008, he approached the men at the seminary and asked them to come and cheer on the Tommies at football games, as not many people attended them due to their losing record. Since then, the men of SJV have been some of the most active fans for the football team, attending every home game.[13] A subgroup of the seminarians, called "Caruso's Crew", dress up as hard hat workers and paint on faux moustaches. The crew carry large tools made of cardboard and duct tape (a hammer, saw, wrench, and lunch box). This group has been known to travel hundreds of miles to attend away games.[14]

Sports

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At times, students of the seminary have played on the University of Saint Thomas football team, including Jordan Roberts, a Division One transfer.[15][16]

Students yearly play in the Rector's Bowl, a flag football game against the Saint Paul Seminary.[17]

Rectors

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Notable alumni

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Sponsoring Dioceses

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Saint John Vianney College Seminary commences final stages of full-scale renovation project". Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Athens, Mary Christine (2013). To Work for the Whole People: John Ireland's Seminary in St. Paul. New York: Paulist Press. ISBN 9780809105458.
  3. ^ "History". Saint John Vianney College Seminary.
  4. ^ . Vol. 10, no. 29. The Catholic Spirit. September 8, 2005. p. 15. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ "Saint John Vianney – Saint John Vianney – University of St. Thomas – Minnesota".
  6. ^ "10%". Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  7. ^ Kersten, Katherine (February 6, 2015). "A youth movement in the priesthood". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  8. ^ "Fr. Jonathan Kelly '91 to be Rector of St. John Vianney College Seminary". Georgetown Prep News. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  9. ^ Umberger, Barb (June 9, 2021). "New chapel the star of SJV seminary's planned expansion". TheCatholicSpirit.com.
  10. ^ Mischke, Dale (March 17, 2021). "Saint John Vianney Seminary plans five-story expansion, renovation". MyVillager.
  11. ^ Newsroom, The (April 24, 2023). "New Chapel Dedicated at SJV". Newsroom University of St. Thomas. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  12. ^ "Last Chance Mass". Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  13. ^ "Freshman – Office of Admissions – University of St. Thomas – Minnesota".
  14. ^ "Distance is but a number for loyal 'Caruso's Crew' « TommieMedia".
  15. ^ Campbell, Dave. "Seminarian Jordan Roberts leads St. Thomas to D3 semifinals". The Morning Call. USA Today. Associated Press. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  16. ^ Reusse, Patrick. "Tommies, rest of MIAC have same challenge: They have to get better". Star Tribune.
  17. ^ Krull, Jesse (September 30, 2013). "St. John Vianney tops St. Paul Seminary in Rectors' Bowl". TommieMedia. Tommie Media. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  18. ^ "RINUNCE E NOMINE". press.vatican.va. January 29, 2022.
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