Philadelphia, November 4, 2021 — Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, Archbishop of Philadelphia, announced today that he has appointed Most Reverend Timothy C. Senior, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia and current Rector of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, to a newly created position, Chancellor of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, effective July 1, 2022. The Archbishop also announced that Father Keith Chylinski will succeed Bishop Senior as Rector of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, also effective July 1, 2022.
“I have the utmost confidence in Bishop Senior and Father Chylinski as they continue to work together to write the next chapter in the seminary’s history,” said Archbishop Pérez. “This new working relationship will allow Bishop Senior to focus on the seminary’s relocation and capital campaign, while Father Chylinski will provide continuity and leadership for the seminary’s human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral dimensions of priestly formation.”
“The seminary is and will continue to be the heart of the Church and I look forward to the new opportunities at our doorstep with our exciting relocation plans and the opportunity to tell our story and articulate our needs to the faithful of Philadelphia and beyond.” said Bishop Senior.
“I am very grateful to the Archbishop for his confidence in me, and to Bishop Senior for his kind and consistent support throughout my years on the faculty. Bishop Senior has been a model of dedicated leadership, rooted in his true love for the seminary,” said Father Chylinski. “Like him, I believe that it is a sacred privilege to be in the work of seminary formation, and I look forward to serving the St. Charles community in this new capacity as rector.”
Bishop Senior is currently in his tenth year as Rector of Saint Charles. As Chancellor, he will be able to focus primarily on the implementation of the plan for the relocation of Saint Charles to a property which is being purchased at Gwynedd Mercy University in Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania. In this capacity, Bishop Senior will also focus on the Seminary’s soon-to-be-announced capital campaign. That dedicated fundraising initiative is intended to grow its endowment and to ensure long-term sustainability for the formational programs producing future priests, permanent deacons, and lay leaders as a core mission of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
The spring semester of the current academic year will serve as a time of transition. During that time, Father Chylinski will serve as Rector-elect, working with Bishop Senior and other administrative staff of the Seminary to ensure a smooth transition and the continuity of the formation and educational programs.
A priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and an alumnus of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, Father Chylinski was ordained by Cardinal Justin Rigali in 2007. He holds Master of Arts and Master of Divinity Degrees from Saint Charles and earned a Master of Science Degree from the Institute for the Psychological Sciences, Arlington, VA (now Divine Mercy University, Sterling, VA) in 2014. An accomplished singer and pianist, Father Chylinski completed his undergraduate studies at Temple University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 2000.
After completing his graduate studies in Psychology, Father Chylinski joined the faculty of Saint Charles in July 2014. He currently teaches courses in Pastoral Psychology in the Theological Seminary, and Introductory Psychology in the College Seminary. He is also the Director of Counseling Services and has created a conference curriculum on psychosexual development for the entire formation program.
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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 190 years. In August 2021, the seminary expected an overall enrollment of 149 seminarians. Saint Charles’ seminarian population is becoming increasingly diverse with approximately 38% of its students now coming from Asian, Latino, or African countries. Of the 27 new seminarians, 12 are seminarians studying for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and there are 66 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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