From the classroom to the apostolate: The impact of Saint John's Seminary's Theological Institute

Recently, we, at Saint John's Seminary, had the privilege of celebrating our 140th anniversary. Founded by Archbishop John Williams in 1884 as the seminary for the Archdiocese of Boston, we also have the honor of helping form and prepare for priestly ministry candidates from many sending dioceses throughout the northeast and, even, from all over the world! We also celebrated another anniversary last year. It was the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Theological Institute of Saint John's Seminary. It is through the Theological Institute that Saint John's Seminary also contributes to the formation and education in the faith of the laity, permanent deacons, and vowed religious.

The Master of Arts in Ministry (MAM) program is designed for those called to serve Christ and his Church in a ministerial capacity. Be it in the parish, at a Catholic school, or through some other lay apostolate, our students and graduates -- and at present there are 288 alumni/ae and counting -- can be found exercising some form of ministry throughout the Archdiocese of Boston and beyond. Complementing the MAM degree is the Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree program. While the two programs have much in common, the MTS. Degree is more academic in its focus rather than ministerial. And whereas the MAM degree has preparation for an active ministry as its end, the goal of the MTS degree is to prepare the laity to evangelize the culture as a whole.

What separates the programs of the Theological Institute from those offered at other institutions are the touchstones of fidelity and formation. The Theological Institute of Saint John's Seminary embraces an academic core stemming from within the heart of the Church. The intellectual dimension of formation immerses the student in the rich and robust treasury of Catholic theology, and is faithfully anchored in Scripture, tradition, and the magisterial teachings of the Church. Even further, the vast majority of our instructors are the very same ones helping to form and prepare our seminarians; creating a sense of congruity and complementarity between the seminary itself and the Theological Institute.

Secondly, and drawing its inspiration from the "Plan for Priestly Formation," the MAM and MTS degrees seek to address all four principal dimensions of formation: the intellectual, the spiritual, the human, and the apostolic. For degree-seeking students, monthly sessions dedicated to spiritual growth and human development are conducted. In the MAM, 12 credits of field education, i.e., immersion with supervision in a ministry, prepare our students for service in an apostolate. While many institutions claim to be conducting whole-person formation, at the Theological Institute of Saint John's Seminary, this formation is palpable and tangible.

The classes offered by the Theological Institute are also open to all. One need not be a degree-seeking student in order to take a class. In fact, many of our students either take a class for no credit -- i.e., as an auditor -- or for credit but without applying to a degree program.

G.K. Chesterton once wrote: "Theology is only articulate religion." In our current culture, it is more vital than ever to be able to articulate our faith intelligently, boldly, and with charity, to others. We are called to be witnesses to Christ's resurrection with our minds, hearts, and lives. Thus, for all who wish to know the Catholic faith more deeply -- either for their own spiritual nourishment or to be able to proclaim the Gospel more effectively -- I would extend an invitation to explore the classes offered by the Theological Institute of Saint John's Seminary.