The Seminary Formation Program

The seminary college follows the guidelines of the Program for Priestly Formation (PPF) as mandated by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB).

Human Formation

“…priestly formation would be deprived of its necessary foundation if it lacked a suitable human formation.” (Pastores Dabo Vobis (PDV), 43)

The Human Formation Program is designed to provide seminarians the opportunity to grow in Christian maturity, responsibility, cultural and social awareness, personal wellness, and community identity. It includes:

  • Classes, conferences, and workshops fostering healthy psychosexual development;

  • A system of accountability promoting personal responsibility and maturity;

  • A community cculture preparing men for a life of professional ministerial service in the Roman Catholic Church;

  • A Student Government Association providing opportunities for leadership and community service;

  • Frequent on-campus cultural events;

  • A health and wellness program that includes physical training classes, sporting activities, visits with a nutritionist, and access to on-campus counseling;

  • A full range of exercise equipment;

  • Access to 1,200 acres of beautiful pine forests and savannahs bordered by the Bogue Falaya River, a “Natural and Scenic River” of Louisiana; and

  • Proximity to the cultural centers of both New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Spiritual Formation

“…for every priest his spiritual formation is the core which unifies and gives life to his being a priest and his acting as a priest.” (Pastores Dabo Vobis (PDV), 45)

Through spiritual formation, seminarians are provided with an integrated program fostering personal contact with Jesus Christ through Scripture, sacraments, prayer, study, and individual guidance. This includes:

  • A daily, liturgically rich Eucharistic celebration, and adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament;

  • Daily morning and evening prayer, with periods of lectio divina;

  • Weekly formation seminar meetings covering an integrated curriculum of topics preparing the seminarian for priestly life and ministry;

  • On-campus spiritual direction and a weekly rector’s conference, fostering a life marked by personal prayer, spiritual reading, and growth in Christian maturity;

  • Reconciliation services, daily confession, and periodic spiritual conferences;

  • Special community observances during Lent;

  • An annual seminary retreat held from Wednesday oh Holy Week through the Paschal Vigil.

The entire student body also gathers in the Seminary Oratory, located on the second floor of Pius X, which also provides facilities for students to participate in weekly liturgical services essential to introducing seminarians to public spiritual worship.

Intellectual Formation

With our dedication to Intellectual Formation, the college offers two baccalaureate programs and a post-baccalaureate pre-theology program for students who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood. All programs fulfill the requirements of ecclesiastical norms set out in the Program of Priestly Formation. Each program answers the entrance requirements for theologates in the United States and Rome.

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and the Liberal Arts

  • Engages students in the major moral and philosophical questions of Western Civilizaition

  • 33 semester hours in philosophy and 15 semester hours of undergraduate theology

  • Complemented by extensive coursework in history and literature

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Theological Studies

  • For junior- and senior-level transfer students

  • 33 semester hours in philosophy and 21 semester hours of undergraduate theology

  • Intensive major coursework in philosophy and undergraduate theology

Pre-Theology Program

  • Two-year program of in-depth formation for students who already possess a bachelor’s degree

  • 33 semester hours in philosophy and 21 semester hours of undergraduate theology

  • Provides the foundation for the study of theology at the graduate level

Academic Support Services

  • The Learning Center provides individual tutoring and assistance to students.

  • English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction and assistance is offered

Financial Aid

  • Federal Pell grants

  • Direct Subsidized Loans

  • Direct Unsubsidized Loans

  • Parent Loans for Undergradate Students

  • Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS; Louisiana resident students only)

Pastoral Formation

The primary purpose of the Pastoral Formation Program at Saint Joseph Seminary College is to form our seminarians “to respond to people’s needs as well as to take initiatives in the community that holy servant leadership requires.” (Program of Priestly Formation, Sixth Edition (PPFG, 369)

At Saint Joseph Seminary College, this is primarily accomplished through various supervised pastoral assignments, including:

  • Pastoral service to the seminary community, the underprivileged and marginalized, and the aged and infirm;

  • Participation in the Senior Mission Immersion Program with a trip to the southern border between Mexico and the United States or a pilgrimage to Esquipulas, Guatemala, providing an experience in diverse cultural settings that prepares students for ministry within a multicultural church;

  • Theological reflection that aids student in integrating pastoral service into all areas of priestly formation;

  • Additional optional pastoral experiences that allow for a broader pastoral service experience;

  • Acquisition of collaborative skills; and

  • Ongoing discernment of strengths to be developed and weaknesses to be transformed.

Saint Joseph Seminary College has a dedicated pastoral assignment liaison on staff.