PHOENIX — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix is opening a full seminary, offering the opportunity for men to study to become priests, for the very first time in Arizona.
Nazareth Seminary will house and educate seminarians within the Diocese of Phoenix.
“Priests are formed in homes, not institutions,” wrote Bishop John P. Dolan in an announcement Tuesday morning. “So rather than sending our guys away, we find that we can respect their love for family by keeping them in the community, our own portion of the Lord’s vineyard.”
Previously, men who wanted to become priests had to go out of state to complete their higher education.
Those seminarians would often head to places like Denver after living in the Nazareth House, which was established in 2019, by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted.
“What we’ve found is that as men are closer in a community setting, they experience more personal growth,” stated Fr. Paul Sullivan, in a news release.
"We're the seventh largest diocese in the United States, so it's important for us to just take a look at that growth and say isn't it time for us to have a full-on seminary,” Bishop Dolan told ABC15.
Bishop John Dolan tells us, while there is a national deficit of seminarians, it's different here.
"We have about 45 seminarians. That's a pretty good number," he said while adding that having seminarians stay local is going to make a big difference.
"I think it's just important for us to have a good look at them and [for] them to have a good look at us. When they study for the Diocese of Phoenix, they're studying to be ordained by the Bishop of Phoenix and serve any of the parishes within Phoenix,” said the Bishop.
Though This isn't the first time the Diocese of Phoenix has made history.
Last September Bishop Dolan held a mass of remembrance in honor of those who died by suicide.
Three months later, in December of 2022, the Diocese opened up an office for Mental Health Ministry.
It’s one the seminarians will also be able to take advantage of.
"I think it's just going to be a benefit. So then, when these priests are ordained, they're going to say of course mental health is just a natural part of who we should be. It should be a natural part of our formation process and never be ashamed of that," Bishop Dolan told ABC15.
The program will be offered in four stages at four Valley locations:
- Stage 1: Nazareth House, near St. Gregory Parish in Phoenix - established in 2019
- Stage 2: Campus of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Scottsdale - opened in August 2023
- Stage 3: St. Mary’s Basilica in Phoenix - set to open in fall 2024
- Stage 4: St. Joseph’s House - set to open in fall 2026
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