Archbishop Chaput, Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia, will give the Concursus keynote address to seminary graduates
Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary will award a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa, to Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. at its 2022 Concursus ceremony on May 18, 2022. Archbishop Chaput, the Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia, is also slated to give the Concursus’ keynote address. Concursus is the Seminary’s annual graduation ceremony where academic degrees are awarded to seminarians, as well as religious and lay students, enrolled in its college and graduate college programs.
Most Reverend Timothy C. Senior, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia and the Seminary’s Rector, said, “As we approach another annual graduation ceremony celebrating the academic achievements of our seminarians and graduate students, the Seminary is honored to award a Doctor of Humane Letters degree to Archbishop Chaput at this year’s Concursus. The Seminary and its graduates are eager to hear his Concursus address.”
The Seminary’s honorary degree will be conferred by Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, Archbishop of Philadelphia, on behalf of the Saint Charles Seminary Board of Trustees. Archbishop Chaput will join a distinguished list of honorary degree recipients from the seminary, including Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Dr. Jacqueline C. Rivers, Professor Andreas Widmer, Justice Samuel Alito, Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta and former Pennsylvania Chief Justice Robert N. C. Nix.
Archbishop Chaput is an internationally recognized scholar, writer and spiritual leader. After five years of serving as chief executive and provincial minister for the Capuchin Province of Mid-America, Archbishop Chaput was ordained Bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota in 1988 and appointed Archbishop of Denver in 1997. As a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribe, he was the second Native American to be ordained a bishop in the United States and as the first Native American archbishop. He was installed as the 13th bishop and ninth archbishop of Philadelphia in September 2011. Pope Francis accepted his resignation in January 2020 after reaching the retirement age of 75. He is currently Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia.
About Saint Charles 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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