Mount Angel Seminary 2023

Baccalaureate Mass
Commencement Exercises

Both events can be viewed here.


Please click this link for the U.S. Department of Education institutional requirements for participating in the Section 18004(a)(1) CARES Act grant program.

“Inspiring, educating, and forming the next generation of priests.”

Since 1889, Mount Angel Seminary has sent thousands of priests to serve more than 11 million Catholics in nearly 100 dioceses and religious communities around the world. As the oldest seminary in the western United States, Mount Angel is the only seminary in the West that offers a College of Liberal Arts, a Graduate School of Theology, and a Doctor of Ministry Program.

Mission & Goals

Mount Angel Seminary, an apostolate of the Benedictine monks of Mount Angel Abbey, is a school whose primary purpose is the human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation of men for the Roman Catholic priesthood. The seminary is comprised of a Graduate School of Theology, and a College of Liberal Arts, and, for seminarians requiring additional preparation to enter the Graduate School, a Pre-Theology program. In addition, the Graduate School of Theology and the seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program offers theological education to qualified laymen and women. The seminary’s programs adhere to the norms established by the Holy See and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as stated in the Program of Priestly Formation.

Institutional Goals

Human Formation

  • To provide opportunities for personal growth and character development for candidates to the priesthood, so that they can become virtuous men of the Church who demonstrate affective maturity and reflect as far as possible the human perfection of Jesus Christ.
  • To provide a climate that supports a commitment to a chaste, celibate lifestyle and fosters a process of life-long conversion.
  • To promote an environment that is respectful of diversity in culture, age and education in order for students to reflect the gospel and the person of Christ and to enhance ministerial strengths.

Spiritual Formation

  • To provide an environment where candidates for the priesthood may develop a deep and well-integrated spirituality rooted in the richness of the Catholic tradition. The seminary will offer a comprehensive program of experiences for the progressive growth and development of seminarians in the spiritual life. Areas of the spiritual life that are part of the program include: his personal relationship with Jesus Christ, his commitment to the Church, and living his priestly vocation through prayer, spirit of poverty, obedience, pastoral service, and celibate chastity with integrity and joy.
  • Spiritual formation administers certain aspects of spiritual development for seminarians so that they develop continuously and progressively in their personal relationship with Christ, in their commitment to the Church, and in living with integrity their priestly vocation through prayer, simplicity of life, obedience, pastoral service and celibate chastity.
  • The spiritual life of Mount Angel seminarians centers on the celebration of the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours. While this seminary primarily trains candidates for diocesan priesthood, it is uniquely enriched by Benedictine life and spirituality. This rich monastic tradition is characterized by devotion to the Eucharist, meditation on the Word of God, devotion to Our Lady, scholarship and hospitality.

Intellectual Formation

  • To offer academic formation for undergraduate and pre-theology seminarians that introduces them to wide dimensions of human learning and the cultural roots of their faith, and assists them in development of skills in communication and critical thinking in order to prepare them intellectually for graduate theological studies.
  • To provide for graduate students a theological education that covers the range of Christian doctrine, so that, theologically informed and solidly grounded in the Catholic tradition, they can teach, preach and celebrate with knowledge and skill in ordained and other ecclesial ministries.

Pastoral Formation

  • To provide ministerial experiences, pastoral skills and opportunities for theological reflection for seminarians, so that they can become effective pastoral ministers who model and live servant leadership. Pastoral Formation makes use of a three-pronged approach: academic formation, intentional field education placements, and evaluative rubrics that stress the essential collaborative relationship between the four dimensions.
  • To provide opportunities for candidates to develop a priestly identity.
  • To help students acquire the skills of pastoral charity, generosity, humility, and self-giving service.

Assessment Plan

Intellectual Dimension Assessment Plan

Institutional Goals:

  • To offer academic formation for undergraduate and pre-theology seminarians that introduces them to wide dimensions of human learning and the cultural roots of their faith and assists them in development of skills in communication and critical thinking in order to prepare them intellectually for graduate theological studies.
  • To provide graduate students a theological education that covers the range of Christian doctrine, so that, theologically informed and solidly grounded in the Catholic tradition, they can teach, preach and celebrate with knowledge and skill in ordained and other ecclesial ministries.

Assessment Goals:

  1. Critical Thinking
    • [BA] The student demonstrates an ability to “articulate, critique, and utilize diverse perspectives within disciplines and across the curriculum.”
    • [MA (Theology)] The student demonstrates an ability to “analyze and evaluate diverse authors critically and respectfully.”
  2. Communion Ecclesiology/Christian Humanism
    • The student demonstrates an understanding of communion ecclesiology expressed in Catholic social teaching or Christian humanism exhibited in social practice. [MA (Theology)/ MA (Philosophy)]
  3. Respect for Diversity
    • The student demonstrates respect for the dignity of human persons through dialogue with diverse opinions and cultural backgrounds.
  4. Theological and Philosophical Methodology
    • The student demonstrates an ability to use theological/philosophical methodology skillfully and appropriately by being able to craft and support an argument and conduct academic research.
  5. Clear and Effective Communication
    • The student demonstrates an ability to communicate clearly and effectively using philosophical and/or theological language and communicates effectively in concrete situations.

Proposed Rota of Assessment:
Summer 2017 – Goal 1
Summer 2018 – Goal 2
Summer 2019 – Goal 3
Summer 2020 – Goal 4
Summer 2021 – Goal 5


Human Dimension Assessment Plan

Institutional Goals:

  • To provide opportunities for personal growth and character development for candidates to the Priesthood, so that they can become virtuous men of the Church who demonstrate affective maturity and reflect as far as possible the human perfection of Jesus Christ.
  • To provide a climate that supports a commitment to a chaste celibate life-style and fosters a process of lifelong conversion.
  • To promote an environment that is respectful of diversity in culture, age and education in order for students to reflect the Gospel and the person of Christ and to enhance ministerial strengths.

Assessment Goals:

  1. As a man of Communion, the seminarian is expected to embrace a commitment to life-long celibacy.
    • The seminarian lives out celibacy, obedience, and simplicity of life in his life as a seminarian.
    • The student is able to deal with intimacy and maintain wholesome friendships.
  2. As a man of Communion, the seminarian is expected to develop an ecclesial sense for ministry in the Person of Christ.
    • The student demonstrates an understanding of and commitment to Communion Ecclesiology.
    • The student demonstrates a commitment to Catholic Social teaching as a manifestation of ministry in person of Christ.
  3. As a man of Communion, the seminarian demonstrates a respect for diversity in culture, race, religious background, and opinion, etc.
    • The student is able to work collaboratively with others.
    • The student manifests an interest in and familiarity with the ecumenical dimension of the Church.
  4. As a man of Communion, the seminarian demonstrates that he has internalized his Seminary formation.
    • The student demonstrates that he is becoming his own formation director.
    • The student demonstrates an ability to take on a leadership role and use good prudential judgment.
  5. As a man of Communion, the seminarian demonstrates that he is a man of virtue and maturity.
    • The student exhibits a virtuous character.
    • The student shows skills necessary for lifelong conversion, e.g., by manifesting an ability to identify and disclose his own weaknesses and showing a willingness to work on them.

Proposed Rota of Assessment:
Summer 2017 – Goal 1
Summer 2018 – Goal 2
Summer 2019 – Goal 3
Summer 2020 – Goal 4
Summer 2021 – Goal 5


Pastoral Dimension Assessment Plan

Institutional Goals:

  • Pastoral Formation provides ministerial experiences, pastoral skills training, and opportunities for theological reflection for seminarians so that they can become effective pastoral ministers who model and live servant leadership. Pastoral Formation makes use of a three-pronged approach: academic formation, intentional field education placements, and evaluative rubrics that stress the essential collaborative relationship between the four dimensions.
  • To provide opportunities for candidates to develop a priestly identity.
  • To help students acquire the skills of pastoral charity, generosity, humility, and self-giving service.

Assessment Goals:

  1. The student will begin to develop a priestly identity by acquiring the skill of pastoral charity.
  2. The student will begin to develop a priestly identity by acquiring the skill of pastoral generosity.
  3. The student will begin to develop a priestly identity by acquiring the skill of pastoral humility.
  4. The student will begin to develop a priestly identity by acquiring the skill of self-giving service.
  5. The student will develop the skills of proclaiming and preaching the Gospel at liturgy.

Proposed Rota of Assessment:
Summer 2017 – Goal 1
Summer 2018 – Goal 2
Summer 2019 – Goal 3
Summer 2020 – Goal 4
Summer 2021 – Goal 5


Spiritual Dimension Assessment Plan

Institutional Goal:

  • To oversee certain aspects of the liturgical life of the Seminary and to provide those elements traditionally mandated or recommended by the Church for the spiritual growth of seminarians so that they develop continuously and progressively in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ, in their commitment to the Church, and in living with integrity their priestly vocation through prayer, simplicity of life, obedience, pastoral service and celibate chastity.

Assessment Goals:

  1. Student demonstrates his growing commitment to Christ, the Church, and his priestly vocation through prayer.
  2. Student demonstrates a growing commitment to Christ, the Church, and priestly vocation through pastoral service, i.e., practices related to Catholic social teaching and communion ecclesiology.
  3. Student demonstrates a growing commitment to Christ, the Church, and priestly vocation through obedience.
  4. Student demonstrates a growing commitment to Christ, the Church, and priestly vocation through a spirit of poverty.
  5. Student demonstrates a growing commitment to Christ, the Church, and priestly vocation through celibate chastity.

Proposed Rota of Assessment:
Summer 2017 – Goal 1
Summer 2018 – Goal 2
Summer 2019 – Goal 3
Summer 2020 – Goal 4
Summer 2021 – Goal 5

Seminary Catalog & Rule of Life

The Seminary Academic Catalog is applicable to seminarians and off-hill students alike. It contains the following information:

  • Academic Policies and Procedures
  • College of Liberal Arts
  • Graduate School of Theology
  • Doctor of Ministry Degree Program
  • Academic Services
  • Governance and Administration

The Rule of Life is for the resident seminarians. As required by the Program for Priestly Formation, it describes the day-to-day life, the values, and the behavioral expectations of the institution. It does so by detailing the following aspects of the seminary program:

  • Human Formation
  • Spiritual Formation
  • Intellectual Formation
  • Pastoral Formation
  • Evaluation Process
  • Student Organizations
  • Seminary Services
  • Facilities
  • Procedures

Seminary Life

Learn more

Admissions

Learn more

Academic Calendar

2-year calendar

Mount Angel Alumni

Learn More

Our History

Learn More

How your gifts help Mount Angel Seminary

Between the tuition and fees paid by the home dioceses of seminarians studying at Mount Angel and the actual cost of operations, there is a budget deficit. We rely on the generous support of friends like you to help cover that gap!

Will you help, in whatever way you can, to help us continue to form the priests of tomorrow?