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NCEA
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National Catholic Educational Association
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Welcome to the Seminary Department Web Pages!
(Look to the drop-down menu on the left side of the screen to find more pages and to access more information about the Seminary Department.)
Looking for the Catholic Distance Learning Network? Go to: http://www.catholicdistance.org/
A new book is available for purchase from NCEA Publications called In Fulfillment of Their Mission - The Duties and Tasks of a Roman Catholic Priest: An Assessment Project. (This is the publication announced at the "Emerging Models" conference in Orlando.) An article published in the Spring 2008 issue of Seminary Journal tells you more about the book, the process of creating it and how it can be used to help seminarians and priests. To order a copy, use this In Fulfillment order form or contact the NCEA publications office at 202.337.6232.
What is a Catholic seminary?
A Catholic seminary is an institution that primarily educates men for priesthood, and sometimes also educates lay people who want to work in ministry. Catholic seminaries come in all shapes and sizes. Some have as many as three hundred students, others as few as twenty. Some are run by the bishops of dioceses, while others are governed by religious orders. They may be self-contained (free-standing), or part of a union or university. A seminary may be conducted at one of three levels: high school, college or graduate. At the graduate level, a seminary can also be referred to as a theologate, and is the final four-six years of study and formation before ordination.
Almost all Catholic seminaries in the United States choose to be dues-paying members of the Seminary Department of the National Catholic Educational Association. Bro. Bernard Stratman, SM, is the executive director of the department. For a biography and photo of Bro. Bernie, go to: /about/BiographyBernardStratman.asp
Benefits of Membership in the Seminary Department
With the assistance of an executive committee comprised of elected representatives of seminaries, the executive director serves the member institutions through
- an annual convention (the NCEA Convention and Exposition)
- seminary convocations
- a biennial institute for the preparation of seminary formation staff
- ad hoc consultations
- special gatherings
- publications, including the Core Elements Series
- various research projects, and
- Seminary Journal, a journal of opinion, research, and praxis in the field of seminary education and formation within the Roman Catholic tradition, published 3 times a year.
Seminary Convocation. The 2008 Seminary Convocation was held in conjunction with the NCEA Convention and Exposition March 25-27, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Proceedings will be published in the Fall 2008 issue.
Publications. All of our seminary publications are listed here. To order, go to our online store or send the department an email at seminary@ncea.org.
- In Fulfillment of Their Mission (the DACUM book) - This book, a product of collaboration between the Midwest Association of Theological Schools (MATS) and Educational Design Services (EDS), will be published by NCEA in summer of 2008. Watch the Web site for more information or e-mail the seminary department at seminary@ncea.org.
- The Core Elements of Priestly Formation Programs. In recognition of the 10th anniversary of Seminary Journal (1995-2004), the Seminary Department produced the first four volumes of a new series entitled The Core Elements of Priestly Formation Programs. Published in an 8-1/2 x 11 inch, booklet format, the Core Elements Series is a compilation of articles drawn from Seminary Journal and other sources that underscore the central themes of the USCCB Program of Priestly Formation (PPF). Volumes #1-#3 feature readings representative of the four pillars of priestly formation as described in the PPF: Intellectual, Spiritual, Human and Pastoral. Volume #4 in the series addresses the topic of addictive behaviors and was developed in collaboration with Guest House, an educational and treatment resource serving Roman Catholic priests and religious. The department’s goal is to add several titles to the series in the coming years. Please click here for more details and information on placing an order.
Seminary Journal. Issued in the spring, fall and winter, Seminary Journal features articles that are timely and practical. Articles are written by and for persons engaged in priestly formation. Material corresponds to the Program of Priestly Formation (PPF).
Back issues of Seminary Journal are available for $7.50 each (plus a $6 shipping and handling charge per order). Bulk orders are also available. For an index of the available issues (1995-2005), please click here and follow the instructions. Back issues from 2006-07 are also available and are listed below with their themes:
Spring 2006: International Enrollments Project Part II
Fall 2006: Lay Parish Ministry
Winter 2006: Proceedings of the 2006 Seminary Convocation - A National Conversation on
the Ministry and Formation of Priests in a Time of Change and Renewal
Spring 2007: Proceedings of "Making Connections - A Symposium on Priests Ordained Five
to Nine Years"
Fall 2007: Youth and young adult ministry
Winter 2007: Clergy boundaries, seminary libraries, formation of deacons and Hispanics
Spring 2008: Printed and being mailed as of July 21, 2008. Sorry for the delay.
An order form is included with the Acrobat-based index of published articles. To jump to the Order Form directly, click here.
E-mail seminary@ncea.org if you have questions or concerns.
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