Today, the College and Theology seminarians of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary will return to campus to mark the start of the academic year. In total, 156 seminarians are enrolled at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary for 2020-2021, which includes 27 new seminarians.
“Saint Charles Seminary is blessed to welcome new and returning seminarians to campus to begin our academic year,” said Bishop Timothy C. Senior, Rector of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. “It’s encouraging to see so many young men ready to embrace their formation even in the face of our global challenges.”
Move-in includes an opening Mass at 11:00 a.m., evening prayer and Rector’s Opening Conference at 5:00 p.m. The day concludes with a Rector’s Dinner at 6:15 p.m.
Among the 25 new seminarians beginning their journey at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, six are seminarians studying for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Of the six new seminarians studying for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, three are entering the college seminary and three are entering the Spiritual Year or Pre-Theology. In total, there are 74 new or existing seminarians studying for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The remaining seminarians are studying for several other dioceses and religious congregations.
Saint Charles’ seminarian population is continuing its diversity trend of the past few years. Approximately 48% of its new students are Asian, Pacific Islander, Latino, Hispanic, Black or African American.
“We will continue to strive toward fulfilling our mission to form Priests, Deacons, and laity under all the required protocols and guidelines developed by the recommendations of local health officials,” said Bishop Senior.
Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary plans to follow its regular calendar for onsite formation and education in the fall of 2020 with the institution of a fluid safety plan built around the essential mission of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.
Prior to coming to campus, seminarians were encouraged to complete a two week period of self-quarantine. Once on campus, a strict social distancing and semi-quarantine policy will be pursued for the first two weeks. Classes will be conducted either in person or as a hybrid class based on class size and room capacity. To mitigate potential spread, personal free time off campus will be limited. Additionally, there will be a modified pastoral program that seeks to balance the safety of the seminarians with learning how to the support the faithful in times of crisis the increased need of the marginalized.
For more information about Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary and its fall semester, please visit www.scs.edu.
Background on Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary
Founded in 1832, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary has been forming men for priestly service in the Catholic Church for more than 180 years. In August 2020, the seminary reported an overall enrollment of 154 seminarians. Saint Charles’ seminarian population is becoming increasingly diverse with approximately 48% of its new students now coming from Asian, Latino, or African countries or nationalities. Of the 25 new seminarians, six are seminarians studying for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and there are 75 new or returning seminarians for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia studying at St. Charles. With the generosity of many, these young seminarians are able to successfully transform into the compassionate and loyal priests and inspiring leaders of tomorrow’s Church. For more information on Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, please call 610-667-3394 or visit www.scs.edu.
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Editor’s note: Bishop Timothy C. Senior, Rector of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary and new and returning seminarians are available for phone or Zoom interviews upon request. Please contact Alyssa Zinar at [email protected] to schedule an interview.
Contact: Kenneth A. Gavin
Chief Communications Officer
215-587-3747 (office)