Saint John’s Seminary offers priestly formation to men from the Archdiocese of Boston as well as from a number of other dioceses, candidates for the priesthood from Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. The seminary’s lay formation programs, the Masters of Arts in Ministry and certificate programs, are open to all those who seek a deepening of their Catholic faith, and the opportunity to assist the Catholic Church as highly qualified candidates for work within parishes, hospitals and schools.
Saint John’s was founded by Archbishop John J. Williams in 1884, and established by a charter of the Massachusetts legislature in that year. The seminary is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston, and observes the applicable norms of the Holy See and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in defining and realizing its mission. The seminary is accredited by the New England Association of School and Colleges (NEASC) and the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), and is a member of the Boston Theological Institute (BTI).
In 2011, Saint John’s will begin to offer a second Master’s degree for laity, the Masters in Theological Studies, and will establish The Institute for the New Evangelization, with non-degree certificate programs in addition to its graduate degree offerings.