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.
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.
Click here for more information about hours and visitor policies.
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.
Raymond E. Brown Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology
(Dr. Gorman is on Sabbatical for the 2023-24 year.)
B.A., Gordon College M.Div., Ph.D. Princeton Theological Seminary
Professor Michael J. Gorman (Mike) has held the Raymond E. Brown Chair in Biblical Studies and Theology since 2012. He has taught at St. Mary’s since 1991, first in St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute and then, beginning in 1993, in both the Ecumenical Institute and the Seminary (School of Theology). From 1994 to 2012 he served as Dean of St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute. For 2023–24 he is on sabbatical finishing a commentary on 1 Corinthians, among other projects.
Dr. Gorman is a New Testament scholar who specializes in the theology and spirituality of the apostle Paul, the Gospel of John, the book of Revelation, and the theological and missional interpretation of Scripture. He is the author of nearly twenty books and numerous articles, including several volumes on Paul as well as works on Revelation, John, the atonement, Christian ethics, and biblical interpretation more generally.
Dr. Gorman earned his M.Div. and Ph.D. at Princeton Theological Seminary. He has lectured and taught in both Catholic and Protestant churches, colleges, and seminaries throughout the United States and at institutions in several other countries, including Canada, England, Scotland, New Zealand, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Cameroon. In 2009 he was Visiting Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School, and in 2016 he gave the Didsbury Lectures in England as well as the Payton Lectures at Fuller Seminary. Dr. Gorman is an elected member of the international Society for New Testament Studies, and he is on the editorial board of The Journal of Theological Interpretation. In 2020, he was honored with a Festschrift (collection of essays by other scholars) entitled Cruciform Scripture: Cross, Participation, and Mission. The title captures the heart of his approach to interpreting and teaching the New Testament theologically.
Dr. Gorman is an avid traveler who has led numerous study trips to Turkey, Greece, Italy, and France. An active United Methodist layperson, he is married to Nancy; they have three children and eight grandchildren. For more than three decades the Gormans have hosted an ecumenical Bible study and prayer group in their home. Their elder son, Rev. Dr. Mark Gorman, is a theologian and a member of the St. Mary’s Ecumenical Institute faculty. Occasionally Dr. Gorman and Dr. Gorman team-teach a course. Their other two children are Ecumenical Institute alums.
Selected Courses Taught
Service to the Church
Selected Publications
Online Resources
Recommended Reading
A Favorite Quotation
I have been co-crucified with the Messiah; and it is no longer I who live, but it is the Messiah who lives in me. And the life I do now live in this flesh I live by virtue of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me by giving himself for me. – St. Paul, Galatians 2:19b-20 (my translation)