St. John Fisher Seminary Residence

St. John Fisher Seminary Residence

Arms of St. John Fisher Seminary
Former names	St. John Fisher House of Formation
Motto	"I Shall Make you Fishers of Men"
Type	Roman Catholic seminary
Established	1989 (1989)
Rector	Rev. Paul N. Check
Location	894 Newfield Avenue, Stamford, Connecticut , United States
Website	bridgeportvocations.org[dead link]

St. John Fisher Seminary Residence is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Men between the ages of eighteen and forty live at the Seminary while studying subjects based on a liberal arts curriculum, especially philosophy and classical languages, in preparation for graduate theological studies outside of the Diocese. St. John Fisher seminarians are formed to be faithful, perceptive, and well-balanced men. The formation experience at the Seminary is meant to leave an imprint on conscience, character, and manners; it is meant to develop style and to nourish action.^{[citation needed]}

The Seminary opened in 1989.^[1] During the intervening years, the last two bishops of the Diocese of Bridgeport have appointed the five rectors who have served the seminary community.

The average time spent at St. John Fisher Seminary depends on the academic status of the seminarian. This can be anywhere from one to five years.^{[citation needed]}

St. John Fisher is located on Newfield Avenue in Stamford, Connecticut. It is located on the campus of Trinity Catholic High School.^{[citation needed]}

The residence was originally located in Trumbull, Connecticut, until the current larger building became available.^{[citation needed]}

Founding

The founding of St. John Fisher Seminary was entrusted to Msgr. Stephen DiGiovanni, H.E.D. by then Bridgeport Diocese Bishop Edward Egan, the former archbishop of New York. The seminary succeeded the St. John Fisher House of Formation, and was created to serve as a house of formation in philosophy and pre-Theologate requirements for men considering and being considered for the diocesan priesthood.

Rectors

Msgr. DiGiovanni served as first rector of the seminary and continued as vocation director.

After Msgr. DiGiovanni (currently appointed rector of Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist in Stamford), Msgr. Kevin T. Royal was appointed rector. The third rector was the late Fr. Joseph Linck, followed by Fr. Samuel V. Scott. Fr. Robert M. Kinnally was appointed the fifth rector on June 1, 2011. Fr. Kinnally was followed by Fr. Paul N. Check in December 2016.

Life at the seminary

Living in a seminary is very demanding. Seminarians are expected to be in chapel by 7:00 a.m. for lectio divina, or spiritual reading. Following this, is Mass and Lauds. The rest of the day is spent working on academics, or working in their assigned pastoral assignments. Vespers is always said in community as well as dinner.

Seminarians are expected to keep up their academic studies, while maintaining their spiritual lives. They are also encouraged to be well-rounded and civilized men. Seminarians are also expected to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and spend time in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. The cultural formation of the seminarians is nurtured here, as well. Concerts of classical musicians in Connecticut and New York City are part of the program. A number of the men are themselves musicians and take piano, voice, and organ lessons at Sacred Heart University. The Seminary has a Boston grand piano in the Chapel of the Holy Cross and a Steinway vertical piano in the music practice room.

Academics

The time spent at St. John Fisher varies on the status of the individual seminarian. Men who do not hold a college degree reside at the Seminary until they receive their undergraduate degree in philosophy at Sacred Heart University or Fordham University. Men who have earned their undergraduate degrees elsewhere are given a course of study which is in compliance with the USCCB's Program of Priestly Formation and includes 33 credits of philosophy to prepare them for graduate courses in theology at a major seminary. Pre-theologians usually spend 2–3 years at St. John Fisher Seminary.

Alumni of St. John Fisher Seminary are currently in formation at Theological College (Catholic University of America), Washington, D.C; Pontifical North American College, Vatican City State; St. Joseph's Seminary, Yonkers, New York and St. John XXIII National Seminary, Weston Mass.

Because St. John Fisher Seminary is a house of formation, growth in every aspect of a candidate's human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation is at the core of the program. Seminary formators assist the seminarian in these various aspects of seminary life.

Faculty

St. John Fisher Seminary is staffed by four priests: the rector, vocation director, spiritual director, and academic dean.

• The diocesan vocation director is Fr. John Connaughton.
• The spiritual director is Fr. David Leopold.
• The academic dean is Msgr. Christopher J. Walsh, Ph.D.
• Msgr. Alan F. Detscher, S.L.D., Professor of Liturgy
• Fr. Richard Cipolla, Ph.D., D. Phil. (Oxon), instructor of Ecclesiastical Latin
• Dr. Edward Duffy, Professor of New Testament Greek, Hartford Seminary
• Dr. Roger Duncan, Professor of Philosophy, Holy Apostles College and Seminary
• Dr. James Long, Professor of Philosophy, Fairfield University
• Dr. Diane Traflet, Professor of Theology, Seton Hall University

References

External links

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport

• v
• t
• e

Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport

Ordinaries

Bishops

Lawrence Shehan

Walter William Curtis

Edward Egan

William E. Lori

Frank Joseph Caggiano

Churches

Cathedral

St. Augustine Cathedral

Basilica

Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist, Stamford

Parishes

St. Agnes, Greenwich

St. Anthony of Padua, Fairfield

St. Benedict-Our Lady of Montserrat, Stamford

Blessed Sacrament, Bridgeport

St. Bridget of Ireland, Stamford

St. Catherine of Siena, Riverside

St. Catherine of Siena, Trumbull

St. Cecilia, Stamford

St. Charles Borromeo, Bridgeport

Christ the King, Trumbull

St. Clement of Rome, Stamford

SS. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport

St. Gabriel, Stamford

St. George, Bridgeport

St. Gregory the Great Church, Danbury

Holy Family, Fairfield

Holy Name of Jesus, Stamford

Holy Name of Jesus, Stratford

Holy Spirit, Stamford

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Danbury

St. James, Stratford

St. Jerome, Norwalk

St. John, Darien

St. Joseph, Brookfield

St. Joseph, Danbury

St. Joseph, South Norwalk

St. Ladislaus, South Norwalk

St. Lawrence, Shelton

Saint Margaret Shrine, Bridgeport

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, Brookfield

St. Mark, Stratford

St. Mary, Bridgeport

St. Mary, Greenwich

St. Mary, Norwalk

St. Mary, Stamford

St. Matthew, Norwalk

St. Maurice, Stamford

St. Michael the Archangel, Bridgeport

Notre Dame, Easton

Our Lady of Grace, Stratford

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Danbury

Our Lady of Peace, Stratford

Our Lady of the Assumption, Fairfield

Our Lady of the Assumption, Westport

Our Lady Star of the Sea, Stamford

St. Paul, Greenwich

St. Peter, Bridgeport

St. Peter, Danbury

St. Philip, Norwalk

St. Pius X, Fairfield

St. Roch, Greenwich

St. Rose of Lima, Newtown

Sacred Heart, Georgetown

Sacred Heart, Greenwich

Sacred Heart, Stamford

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Danbury

St. Stephen, Trumbull

St. Theresa, Trumbull

St. Thomas Aquinas, Fairfield

St. Thomas the Apostle, Norwalk

Education

Seminary

St. John Fisher Seminary

Higher education

Fairfield University

Sacred Heart University

St. Vincent's College, Bridgeport

High schools

Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich

Fairfield College Preparatory School, Fairfield

Immaculate High School, Danbury

Kolbe Cathedral High School, Bridgeport

Notre Dame Catholic High School, Fairfield

St. Joseph High School, Trumbull

Trinity Catholic High School, Stamford

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