St. Cyril
GOALS AND CORE VALUES
For nearly 125 years SS. Cyril & Methodius Seminary has been aware of
its unique place and mission in the Church and in society. The Mission
Statement of SS. Cyril & Methodius Seminary articulates the purpose of the institution and provides a basis for its goals, programs and activities, and its relationship to constituencies served.
The Mission of the Seminary is actualized in the following purposes:
-- To provide a program of priestly formation for priesthood candidates
that offers the Master of Divinity degree and is in conformity with:
The Decree on the Training of Priests, Optatam Totius (1965);
Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis (1985); and
The Program of Priestly Formation, Fifth Edition (2006).
--To provide a program of theological education and ministerial
formation for lay people seeking preparation for other ministries in the
Church, offering the following degrees: Master of Arts (Theology), and
Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry.
--To provide a program of English language proficiency and
acculturation/inculturation for international students seeking to minister
in the Catholic Church in the U.S.
-- To offer clergy opportunities for theological and pastoral-ministerial
continuing education according to the teaching of the Second Vatican
Council.
--To offer adults opportunities for continuing education in biblical
studies, theology, spiritual theology, and religious education.
The charism of SS. Cyril & Methodius
Seminary was elucidated in light of
its patrons by Pope John Paul II in his
encyclical Slavorum Apostoli, issued in June
of our centennial year 1985:
It is in the specific area of missionary activity that the
example of Cyril and Methodius is of even greater value. For
this activity is an essential task of the church and is urgent
today in the . . . form of inculturation.
By exercising their own charism, Cyril and Methodius made
a decisive contribution to the building of Europe not only in
Christian religious communion but also to its civil and cultural
union . . . Being Christians in our day means being builders
of communion in the church and in society. This calls for
openness to others, mutual understanding, and readiness
to cooperate through the generous exchange of cultural and
spiritual resources. (26, 27) Pope John Paul II
Core Values of SS. Cyril & Methodius Seminary
--The mission of Cyril & Methodius, immigrant missionaries to the
Slavic peoples, inspires us to welcome newcomers, both candidates
for priesthood and lay ministry students, who value the multicultural
environment of the U.S. Catholic Church and respect the rich cultural
heritage of all believers.
--In the pioneering spirit of our founder, Rev. Joseph Dabrowski, we
provide authentic, national leadership in celebrating and interpreting the
spiritual legacy of Catholic Polonia and serve as a bridge between the
Catholic Churches of America and Poland.
--With a profound reverence for all peoples as complementary
expressions of God’s multiform creation, we seek to stand on the cutting
edge of the dialogue between the Gospel of Christ and human culture.
-- As a fellowship of seminarians and lay ministry students we desire
to find Jesus among us, discover his presence in each other, and be
transformed by His word in vibrant academic study.
-- We are committed to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and
to actively participate in the inter-religious and ecumenical conversation
that fosters a more profound understanding of the church’s apostolic
witness and liturgy.