St. Mary's Seminary is the first Roman Catholic seminary in the nation: rich in tradition while focused on priestly preparation for the 21st-century.
These pages provide information on the history, personnel, environment, and formation (in the Sulpician tradition) at St. Mary's.
The three pages in this section of our site touch on the very basics of the formation process.
A major part of priestly formation is intellectual formation, accomplished through the pursuit of academic degrees.
Desiring to assist in the strengthening of Hispanic ministry and recognizing the need for well-prepared priests dedicated in-part or in-full to this ministry, St. Mary’s Seminary and University has established a specialized track in Hispanic ministry.
St. Mary’s Propaedeutic Stage implements the vision of the Program for Priestly Formation (6th edition). It takes place in a revitalized and expanded structure on the historic grounds of the original St. Mary’s Seminary in downtown Baltimore. The McGivney House welcomes candidates from all dioceses and is not limited to candidates destined to enter St. Mary’s Seminary & University, but is the recommended program for those who will come to St. Mary’s.
St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute (EI) was founded in 1968 by St. Mary’s Seminary & University, America’s oldest Roman Catholic seminary, in cooperation with ecumenical leaders. St. Mary’s is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The Ecumenical Institute encourages people of all denominations to explore theological studies in a serious, open-minded, and supportive environment. All EI programs are available wherever you are - on campus in Baltimore, and on-line.
The Ecumenical Institute invites people of all denominations into theological study that pursues excellence and promotes ecumenical understanding and respect. All EI programs are available wherever you are - on campus in Baltimore, and on-line.
St. Mary's Ecumenical Institute has a rolling admissions policy. Students may apply at any time for admission by submitting the appropriate materials.
The Ecumenical Institute offers accredited graduate theological programs for two master’s degrees, several graduate certificates, and introductory explorations.
The post-master’s Certificate of Advanced Studies in Theology (CAS) is designed for individuals who possess a master’s degree in theology (e.g., MAT.), ministry (e.g., MACM), divinity (e.g., MDiv), or a related field and who desire to continue their theological education with a general or focused program of study.
The Doctor of Ministry program roots ministry in the mission of God, the ways God is working in your context, in your ministry, and in you.
Students have a host of resources available to support their theological education, from free parking and a great library to writing assistance and advising.
St. Mary's Ecumenical Institute offers accredited graduate theological education that is intellectually rigorous, personally enriching, and professionally empowering.
More than 750 alums of St. Mary's Ecumenical Institute are making a difference in Baltimore, in Maryland and D.C., West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and around the world.
General communication and individual contacts
It is the mission of the Center for Continuing Formation to encourage bishops, priests, deacons, and lay ecclesial ministers to engage in human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral growth and to enable processes of growth that are ongoing, complete, systemic, and personalized.
Forming Supervisors for Vocational Synthesis implements the vision of the Program for Priestly Formation (6th edition) for the final stage of preparation for the priesthood.
Conference space rentals include a large room that will seat as many as 58 and smaller rooms that will seat from 4 to 30.
St. Mary's Center for Continuing Formation offers and hosts a variety of continuing formation programs for priests in the spirit of the Bishops' new Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests.
St. Mary’s Seminary & University’s Pinkard Scholars is the cornerstone of Youth Theological Studies at SMSU.
For more information about any of our conference facilities or space rentals, please contact our offices directly.
The Marion Burk Knott Library of St. Mary’s Seminary and University is the largest specialized theological library in the Baltimore area, with additional materials in the areas of philosophy, psychology, pastoral counseling and church history, among others. The library receives over 390 periodicals and maintains a collection of 20,000 volumes of bound periodicals. Other holdings include newspapers, microfilm, and audio-visual materials.
The Associated Archives at St. Mary’s Seminary & University opened in the spring of 2002. Located on the campus of the nation’s first Roman Catholic seminary, this program brings together the archives of the Archdiocese of Baltimore (est. 1789), St. Mary’s Seminary & University (est. 1791), and the Associated Sulpicians of the United States (U.S. Province est. 1903), making it one of the most significant repositories for records relating to the early history of the Catholic Church in the United States.
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This section was created to provide researchers with a brief description of the open collections in the archives of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, St. Mary's Seminary & University, and the Associated Sulpicians of the United States.
The Associated Archives at St. Mary’s Seminary & University has developed a genealogical policy responsive to individuals researching their Catholic roots.
We facilitate personal integration of the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral dimensions necessary for authentic priestly witness and service in the image of Jesus Christ.
The U.S. Province of the Society of St. Sulpice has founded and/or staffed seventeen major and minor seminaries in the U.S. and Zambia. The collections for these institutions vary from place to place, with those for Maryland being the most extensive. Documentation consists of such records as student rosters, house diaries, history files, yearbooks and other student publications, as well as official correspondence and documents. Records for other Sulpician institutions and programs, including the U.S. Solitude, can be found in this series. Collections are listed alphabetically by state, then city/town.
Please note that photographs, slides, 8mm and 16 mm films, artifacts, video and audio recordings for Sulpician institutions are catalogued separately. Please see the appropriate records series description for information on the holdings for each institution.
Collection Description Home Page
Menlo Park St. Patrick’s Seminary & University (est. 1898). Size: 3 records storage boxes; date span: c. 1898–1982.
St. Patrick’s was opened in 1898 for the Archdiocese of San Francisco and originally offered a major and minor seminary program. In 1924 the decision was made to move the minor seminary to Mountain View and took the name St. Joseph’s College. It operated as a high school and lower division of the college program. The upper division of the college program remained at Menlo Park until 1968 when it was transferred to Mountain View. There was a complete separation of the high school and college programs at that time. The institutions became known as St. Patrick’s College and St. Joseph’s High School. In 1982, after the high school had been closed, the college’s name was changed to St. Joseph. The college operated until 1991, when, largely due to the destruction caused by the earthquake of 1989, the decision was made to close. This collection contains correspondence, student and faculty lists, house diaries, files regarding administrative, curriculum, and financial matters, handbooks, programs, publications, and history files related principally to the minor seminary program. A partial set of course catalogs is also available.
Mountain View St. Joseph’s College and High School (1924-1991). Size: 11 records storage boxes and 2 document cases; date span: c. 1924-1991.
St. Joseph’s came into being in 1924 when the decision was made to move St. Patrick’s minor seminary program from Menlo Park to Mountain View. It operated as a high school and lower division of the college degree program. The upper division of the college program remained at Menlo Park until 1968 when it was transferred to Mountain View. There was a complete separation of the high school and college programs at that time. The institutions became known as St. Patrick’s College and St. Joseph’s High School. The high school was closed 1980. Two years later, the college took the name St. Joseph and operated until 1991, when, largely due to the destruction caused by the earthquake of 1989, the decision was made to close. This collection contains correspondence, student and faculty lists, house diaries, files regarding administrative, curriculum, and financial matters, handbooks, programs, publications, and history files. Course catalogs and yearbooks are also available. Student and institutional records are maintained by the Diocese of San Jose.
St. Patrick’s College (1968-1982) – See entry for St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park, CA.
Institutions
Washington St. Austin’s College (1901-1919). Size: .5 document case; date span: c. 1901-1919.
St. Austin’s College was the House of Studies established by the U.S. Sulpicians in 1901 near The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. In 1911 it also became home to the first U.S. Solitude (Sulpician novitiate) under the direction of Fr. Francis Havey, P.S.S. The college was closed after the founding of the Sulpician Seminary in Washington, D.C. (now known as Theological College of The Catholic University of America) in 1917. This collection contains the Superior’s diary and terms of agreement between the Sulpicians and The Catholic University of America.
Sulpician Seminary of Washington, D.C./Theological College of The Catholic University of America (est. 1917). Size: 20 records storage boxes and 3 document cases; date span: c. 1917-1933.
When the Sulpician Seminary in Washington, D.C., opened in 1917, it was intended to serve as an extension of St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, offering a program for Sulpician candidates and for students in their final year of priestly training. Two years later, it became a full theologate and by 1924 it had attained its independence from St. Mary’s when it agreed to administer the Basselin Program of The Catholic University of America, which had been housed at the seminary since its founding in 1923. In 1940, at the request of the Vatican, the seminary’s name was changed to the Theological College of The Catholic University of America and designated a University College. This collection contains official correspondence, Superior’s diaries, student registers, constitution and rule, publications, including The Quadrangle. A partial set of course catalogs is also available.
Basselin Program (est. 1923). Size: 1 records storage box; date span: c. 1923-1968.
Established and endowed through a bequest of the New York lumber magnate, Theodore B. Basselin (1851-1914), the Basselin Program, previously known as Basselin College and the Basselin Foundation, provides a three-year scholarship in philosophy at The Catholic University of America for young men discerning the priesthood. The Sulpician Seminary in Washington, D.C., and later Theological College, has housed the program since it was established. This collection contains house diaries, programs, publications, and student lists. A partial set of course catalogs is also available.
Kaneohe St. Stephen’s Minor Seminary (1946-1970). Size: 1 records storage box; date span: c. 1946-1994.
St. Stephen’s was founded in 1946 for the Diocese of Honolulu with the opening of a high school program. It became a full minor seminary nine years later when a junior college division was added in 1955. The institution was closed by the Diocese in 1970, at which time St. Stephen’s became a formation community limited to post-high-school seminarians who did their course work at Chaminade College. This collection contains catalogs, commemorative publications, and a history file. Student and institutional records are maintained by the Diocese of Honolulu.
Louisville St. Thomas’s Minor Seminary (1952-1970). Size: 2 records storage boxes; date span: c. 1952-1998.
St. Thomas’s Minor Seminary was established in 1952 for the Archdiocese of Louisville. The minor seminary was closed by the Archdiocese in 1970. This collection contains catalogs, programs, publications, including the Pioneer, yearbooks, and history files. Student and institutional records are maintained by the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Baltimore St. Mary’s Seminary & University (est. 1791) – See St. Mary’s Seminary & University Collection Description.
St. Mary’s College [aka the French Academy] (1799-1852). Size: 5 records storage boxes, 1-.5 document case, and 2 ledgers; date span: c. 1799-1852.
St. Mary’s College was opened in 1799 as a school for boys. When the college received its charter in 1805, it was the only active college in Maryland. Its contributions to the development of higher education in the state over the course of its 53-year history are considered significant. This collection contains official correspondence, records regarding administrative, academic, legal, and financial matters, including the college’s charter, account books, commencements, lists of degrees conferred, faculty meeting minutes, regulations, rules, and student lists. Other financial records can be found with the records for St. Mary’s Seminary & University Collection. See also papers of Abp. Louis DuBourg, S.S., founder and first president of the college.
U.S. Province Solitude (1911-1977). Size: 2 records storage boxes; date span: c. 1920-1937.
The first U.S. Solitude (Sulpician novitiate) opened in 1911 at St. Austin’s College (1901-1919), Washington, D.C. Up to this time all Sulpician candidates made their Solitude at Issy, France. The U.S. Solitude operated until 1914 when the First World War disrupted the program. The U.S. Solitude did not reopen until 1921 and was located on the campus of St. Charles’ College and High School in Catonsville, Maryland. The Solitude operated at St. Charles’ until 1940 when the decision was made to transfer the program to the Paca Street campus of St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. The Solitude remained at Paca Street until 1955 when it was transferred to the Roland Park campus of St. Mary’s. The last Solitude closed in 1977. This collection contains official correspondence, Superior’s diaries, student registers, and rule.
Catonsville St. Charles’ College and High School (1848-1969). Size: 40 records storage boxes, 13 document cases, and 20 financial and administrative ledgers; date span: c. 1848-1969.
St. Charles’ College and High School was established in 1848 through a bequest from Charles Carroll of Carrollton and was the first successful minor seminary program established in this country. The school, also known as Le Petit Seminaire, was located in Ellicott City, MD, from its founding in 1848 through 1911, when the campus was destroyed by a fire, including most of its records. St. Charles’ was relocated to Catonsville at this time, where it operated until 1969 when the decision was made to close the high school department. The junior college division was united with the philosophy department of St. Mary’s Seminary & University and renamed the Liberal Arts College of St. Mary’s Seminary & University (1969-1977). The property, excepting Our Lady of the Angels Chapel and the Sulpician cemetery which remain in the possession of the Society, was sold in 1983 and developed into the Charlestown Retirement Community. The property was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places at this time and is known as the St. Charles’ College historic district. In 1996 the chapel was designated a parish and serves the residents of Charlestown and the surrounding community. This collection contains official correspondence, files and registers regarding administrative, academic, student*, and financial matters, as well as building plans, history files, and house diaries. A complete set of course catalogs and the Borromean are also available.
*: The most complete record of enrollment prior to the 1911 fire is a student list that was published for the school’s fiftieth anniversary in 1898 and covers the period 1848-1897. The list can be found under Student Records on the Genealogy page of this website.
Liberal Arts College of St. Mary’s Seminary & University (1969-1977) – See St. Mary’s Seminary & University Collection Description.
Ellicott City St. Charles’ College and High School (1848-1969) – See entry for St. Charles’ College, Catonsville, for description of holdings.
Emmitsburg Mt. St. Mary’s College and Seminary (est. 1808). Size: .5 document case; date span: c. 1808-1976.
Mt. St. Mary’s College and Seminary was established initially as a minor seminary by the Sulpicians in 1808. Within a few years it was operating as a minor and major seminary and a lay college. Its affiliation with the Sulpicians ended in 1824. This collection contains records concerning the institution’s founding and early years, including correspondence between Rev. John Dubois and members of the Sulpician community in Baltimore, and history files. See also photocopies of correspondence on deposit in the Sulpician Archives in Paris regarding the founding of Mt. St. Mary’s.
Brighton St. John’s Major Seminary (est. 1884). Size: 2 records storage boxes; date span: c. 1884-1993.
St. John’s was founded in 1884 for the Archdiocese of Boston. The Sulpicians administered and staffed the seminary until their withdrawal in 1911. This collection contains the records for the years the Sulpicians maintained a presence at St. John’s, including official correspondence, faculty meeting minutes, constitution and rule, student and faculty lists, internal reports, and history files.
Plymouth St. John’s Provincial Seminary (1949-1988). Size: 1-.5 document case; date span: c. 1952-1988.
St. John’s was founded in 1949 for the Province of the Archdiocese of Detroit. The Sulpicians administered and staffed the seminary until their withdrawal in 1971. The seminary closed in 1988. This collection contains a history file on the seminary. A complete set of course catalogs and a partial set of yearbooks are also available. Student and institutional records are maintained by the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Dunwoodie St. Joseph’s Seminary (est. 1896). Size: 1 document case; date span: c. 1896-1993.
St. Joseph’s Major Seminary was founded in 1896 for the Archdiocese of New York. The Sulpicians operated the seminary until their withdrawal in 1906. This collection contains the records for the years the Sulpicians were at St. Joseph’s and includes official correspondence, faculty meeting minutes, student lists, trustee meeting minutes, administrative files, and history files. Student and institutional records are maintained by St. Joseph’s Seminary.
Pigeon Hill Our Lady of Pigeon Hill Minor Seminary (1806-1808). Size: 1 document case; date span: c. 1806-1947.
Our Lady of Pigeon Hill was established in 1806 on the estate of Joseph Harent in Adams County, Pennsylvania, and was the first minor seminary established in the United States. Students were sent to Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, when the school was closed. This collection contains official correspondence, administrative, and finance records, as well as history files.
Kenmore St. Edward’s Major and Minor Seminary (1931-1976). Size: 9 records storage boxes, 1 document case, and 1 flat storage box; date span: c. 1931-1977.
St. Edward’s was founded in 1931 as both a major and minor seminary for the Archdiocese of Seattle. A larger facility necessitated the construction of a separate building for the major seminary, which opened in 1958 and was named St. Thomas. St. Edward’s continued to operate as a high school and college until 1976 when the high school was closed by the Archdiocese. The college was united with St. Thomas’ Major Seminary at this time. One year later, in 1977, St. Thomas’ was closed as well. This collection contains history files, publications, including the Harvester, scrapbooks, and yearbooks. A complete set of course catalogs is also available. Student and institutional records are maintained by the Archdiocese of Seattle.
St. Thomas’ Major Seminary (1958-1977). Size: 9 records storage boxes, 1 document case, and 1 flat storage box; date span: c. 1935-1977.
St. Thomas’ was founded in 1958 as a successor to St. Edward’s Major Seminary (1931-1958). A larger facility necessitated the construction of a separate building for the program. In 1976, when St. Edward’s High School was closed by the Archdiocese, the college division was united with St. Thomas’ program. One year later, St. Thomas’ was closed as well. This collection contains history files, scrapbooks, and yearbooks. A complete set of course catalogs is also available. Student and institutional records are maintained by the Archdiocese of Seattle.