Série 16 - Seminarian Student Files

In 1917 the Oblate Scholasticate located at 9948 – 110 street opened in Edmonton. Up until that time western candidates for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, OMI had gone to Eastern Canada for their theological training. French speaking candidates were educated in Ottawa and English speaking candidates were educated in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, USA. In 1918 Archbishop Legal opened the doors of the O.M.I. Scholasticate to diocesan seminarians.

By the 1920s it was evident that the Edmonton Scholasticate could not suitably house both the O.M.I. scholastics and the increasing number of diocesan seminarians. It was decided that the English speaking Oblates would be transferred to New Westminster, British Columbia for their education, and the diocesan priests would stay in Edmonton taking over the seminary. Archbishop O’Leary bought the site and building from the Oblates and on September 14, 1927 St. Joseph Seminary was officially opened by Archbishop O’Leary, Archbishop of Edmonton.

Under the direction of the Rt. Rev. James C. McGuigan, the first Rector of the seminary, initial enrollment began with twenty-six students. Seminarians studied Dogma, Moral Philosophy, Philosophical Psychology, Holy Scripture, Canon Law, Ecclesiastical History, and Christian Doctrine. In 1928 the curriculum was expanded to include Music, Liturgy, Latin, English and French.

In May of 1930, with the nomination on Msgr. McGuigan as Archbishop of Regina, Rev. M.C O’Neill became the new Rector, however, he left shortly thereafter to serve as an army chaplain in 1939, and Rev. Howard Griffin became the Rector, a post he held for the next twenty-five years. During the first 30 years of the seminary’s existence over 350 graduates were ordained to the priesthood, the majority of whom were ordained for the Archdiocese of Edmonton; however alumni of the seminary are located across Canada working in many dioceses and for many religious orders.

The seminary remained in downtown Edmonton until 1957, when due to increased enrollment the building was no longer suitable for the seminary’s needs. The seminary moved to a new location on St. Albert Trail with better facilities to accommodate the growing needs of the seminarians and staff. Archbishop MacDonald blessed the Seminary on September 9, 1957. The new seminary opened its doors to Les Filles du Jesus (the Daughters of Jesus), on September 10, 1957, who were responsible for the domestic department of the seminary. On September 12, 1957 the professors and 86 seminarians arrived for a four day celebration of the opening of the new building, which included ordinations, public tours and other special events.

In the mid-1960s Vatican II brought changes to priestly formation. Slowly a revision of the seminary’s spiritual, academic and formation programs began to take shape. In 1968 the philosophy program was discontinued and admission to the Seminary’s theology program required an undergraduate university degree. Prior to the 1960s St. Joseph Seminary provided some limited access to theological education for the laity and for men and women religious desirous of fulfilling their role in the Church. In the mid-1960s the seminary training programs were opened to candidates from various communities of men preparing for the ordained ministry which included individuals from other Christian churches creating a more diverse education environment for seminarians.

Also in the mid and late 1960s a number of efforts were made by Church authorities to centralize Catholic theological endeavours in Western Canada. The goal was to find a university which would be willing to establish a Catholic faculty of theology and to choose that centre as the place for seminary training for the Canadian West. However, by 1968 Archbishop Jordan of Edmonton was convinced that these efforts would not succeed. He asked the faculty of St. Joseph’s Seminary to proceed with plans to begin a theological college which would use the facilities of the existing seminary, continue to provide theological formation for seminarians and be open to the theological formation of religious and laity as well. Incorporated by an act of the legislature in 1969, Newman Theological College began a new creative mission alongside St. Joseph Seminary, with both institutions remaining distinct, but interdependent educational centres. Despite having independent administrative structures the two institutions continue to have a close relationship; faculty and staff from both institutions serve on the same committees and councils and often attend and participate in the same events.

Currently, the training of future priests includes four dimensions: human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. The uniqueness of St. Joseph Seminary is that its Rector and the formation team are directly and exclusively responsible for the human and spiritual formation of diocesan seminarians being prepared for ordination to the ministerial priesthood. Pastoral formation is also under the Seminary Team's responsibility working with Newman Theological College in the particular areas of the academic dimension including: field education, some pastoral theology courses like practice of ministry, pastoral counseling, practice of sacramental rituals, and theology and practices of preaching. The fourth dimension of seminary formation, academic theological formation, is completely shared with the Faculty of Newman Theological College. This means that seminarians take courses with lay people and members of male and female religious orders.

In 2007 the Province of Alberta bought the land from St. Joseph Seminary on St. Albert Trail in order to build Alberta Highway 216, and the seminary, along with Newman Theological College, relocated to 98 Avenue and 84 Street. The Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton owns the land and buildings of St. Joseph Seminary and Newman Theological College and as such is ultimately responsible for the finances of both institutions. Today, the Foundation of Newman Theological College and St. Joseph Seminary are separate legal entities which are both subordinate to the Board of Governors of the College as such both the Rector of the Seminary and the President of the College report regularly to the Board.

Since 1990 the formation of future priests has been entrusted to Les Prêtres de St. Sulpice, a society of diocesan priests whose special mission in the formation of future priests. The Rector of St. Joseph Seminary is appointed by the Archbishop of Edmonton, upon the recommendation of the Provincial Superior of the Montreal Province of the Société des Prêtres de St. Sulpice, and in consultation with the President of Newman Theological College. The Rector oversees the fulfillment of the mission statement of the seminary as outlined in the college catalogue and seminary handbook. He works in close collaboration with the seminary formation team as well as with the administration, faculty and staff of Newman Theological College. The Rector serves on various committees including, but not limited to the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors, the Strategic Planning Committee, The Board of Governors of Newman Theological College, the Administrative Council, the Personnel Committee, the Liturgy Committee of the College, the Internal Budget Committee, the Executive Committee of the Senate, the Master of Divinity Initial Screening Committee, the Office of Field Education, the Ordination Requirements Committee, and the Human Resources Committee.

Additional information about the history of St. Joseph Seminary can be found on the following website http://www.stjoseph-seminary.com/History.html, by reading “Relationship between Newman Theological College and St. Joseph Seminary,” by Don MacDonald, OFM, and Rev. Jean Papen available in the Archdiocese Archives Information Files, in the brochures created for the 50th and 75th anniversary of the seminary located in the Events series of this fonds, and in the Archdiocese of Edmonton Archives Information Files.