PHILADELPHIA— Pictured here are the five seminarians from the Bridgeport Diocese with Bishop Caggiano and Bishop Timothy Senior, rector, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary following Mass yesterday afternoon.
In January 2021, college seminarians and pre-theologians of the Diocese of Bridgeport began to undertake their formation and studies at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia.
“Given that fostering vocations and supporting our seminarians is a unique obligation that I possess as bishop and a successor of the apostles, I have made this decision because I am convinced that it will be to the great benefit of our seminarians and their future priesthood,” said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano who recently visited the seminarians.
St. Charles Borromeo seminary was chosen because of its strong academic and formation program which serves 65 seminarians from 14 U.S. dioceses and six religious congregations. Likewise, 78 percent of college seminarians and 61 percent of its pre-theologians go on to major seminary formation.
The bishop said the larger number of seminarians and the cultural and racial diversity of its population (35 percent of all seminarians) along with St. Charles’ strong emphasis upon human and spiritual formation (seeking to form “Men of Communion” with Christ and His Church) were all factors in his final decision. He also appreciated the possibility that a pre-theologian can earn a master’s in philosophical studies.
