A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. They have existed for many centuries, and now extend acr ...

created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming

Catholic priests The priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in common English usage ''priest'' refe ...

. They are generally

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

institutions, and designed to prepare boys both academically and spiritually for vocations to the priesthood and

religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...

life. They emerged in cultures and societies where literacy was not universal, and the minor seminary was seen as a means to prepare younger boys in literacy for later entry into the major

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...

. The minor seminary is no longer very familiar in the developed world. The

1917 Code of Canon Law The 1917 ''Code of Canon Law'' (abbreviated 1917 CIC, from its Latin title ), also referred to as the Pio-Benedictine Code,Dr. Edward Peters accessed June-9-2013 is the first official comprehensive codification (law), codification of Canon law ...

described the purpose of minor seminaries as: "to take care especially to protect from the contagion of the world, to train in piety, to imbue with the rudiments of literary studies, and to foster in them the seed of a divine vocation". Suitable boys were encouraged to graduate to a major seminary, where they would continue their tertiary studies for the priesthood. The program of priestly formation of the

USCCB The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 2001 after the merger of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and United States Catholic Co ...

refers to them as "high school seminaries" rather than minor seminaries. Today, college seminaries, where

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

is studied, are often called minor seminaries even though they are for those who have completed

high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

Extant minor seminaries

Canada

* Seminary of Christ the King, (

Mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

)

East Timor

Seminary of Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Fatima Minor Seminary (SENOFA; Portuguese: ''Seminário Menor de Nossa Senhora de Fátima'') is a Roman Catholic minor seminary located in Dili, Timor-Leste. Established in 1936, it is the country's oldest Roman Catholic seminary. ...

Dili Dili (Portuguese language, Portuguese and Tetum language, Tetum: ''Díli'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Timor-Leste. It lies on the northern coast of the island of Timor, in a small area of flat land hemmed in by mountai ...

* St. Joseph Seminary,

Maliana Maliana is a city in East Timor, 149 kilometers southwest of Dili, the national capital. It has a population of 22,000. It is the capital of the Districts of East Timor, district of Bobonaro District, Bobonaro and Maliana Subdistrict, and is ...

Ghana

* St Teresa's Minor Seminary

India

* St.Joseph Minor Seminary, Kalamassery – Archdiocese of Verapoly, Kerala. *

St. Aloysius Seminary, Trivandrum St. Aloysius Minor Seminary is the first minor seminary of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. It is situated at Kesavadasapuram,Thiruvananthapuram. History The Minor Seminary was established by the foun ...

– Syro-Malankara Archeparchy of Trivandrum * St. Agnes Minor Seminary, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu * Sacred Heart Minor Seminary, Thrikkakara, Kochi, Kerala - Archeparchy of Ernakulam- Angamaly *

Good Shepherd Minor Seminary In most contexts, the concept of good denotes the conduct that should be preferred when posed with a choice between possible actions. Good is generally considered to be the opposite of evil. The specific meaning and etymology of the term and its ...

, Pala, India * St Paul's Minor Seminary, Akalpur, Jammu

Indonesia

Minor seminary of Saint Paul Palembang St. Paul Seminary ( St. Paul) is a high school level education institutions for prospective clergy (monks, priests) Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.2 ...

Peter Canisius Minor Seminary Mertoyudan Peter Canisius Minor Seminary Mertoyudan () is a private Catholic secondary school for boys intending to be Catholic priests, located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The school was founded in 1912 by the Society of Jesus. Overview The es ...

* Wacana Bhakti Minor Seminary

Nigeria

St. Theresa's Minor Seminary, Oke-Are, Ibadan
*Sacred Heart Minor Seminary, Akure

Pakistan

* St. Mary's Minor Seminary, Lahore *

Our Lady of Lourdes Minor Seminary Our Lady of Lourdes Minor Seminary is the preparatory seminary in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi. It is one of only five minor seminaries in Pakistan. In the 21st century the seminary has only one computer. The seminary is ...

, Islamabad–Rawalpindi, founded in 1995 * St. Pius X Minor Seminary – Karachi, founded in 1958 * St. Thomas the Apostle Minor Seminary, Faisalabad, founded in 1981

Philippines

* St. Augustine Minor Seminary – minor seminary of Iba, Zambales, Luzon covering Olongapo City and Zambales Province *

San Jacinto Seminary The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao is a Latin Church metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. Tuguegarao is a river delta city that became center of the archdiocese in the province of Cagayan, on the island ...

( Penablanca,

Cagayan Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan (; ; ; isnag language, Isnag: ''Provinsia nga Cagayan''; ivatan language, Ivatan: ''Provinsiya nu Cagayan''; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Cag ...

) –

Archdiocese of Tuguegarao The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao is a Latin Church metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. Tuguegarao is a river delta city that became center of the archdiocese in the province of Cagayan, on the island ...

* Diocesan Seminary of the Heart of Jesus ( San Fernando La Union) * Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary ( Vigan, Ilocos Sur) * St. Mary's Seminary ( Laoag, Ilocos Norte) * Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary (

Guiguinto, Bulacan Guiguinto, officially the Municipality of Guiguinto (), is a municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 113,415 people. It is the birthplace of composer Constancio de Guzman, kn ...

) – Diocese of

Malolos Malolos , officially the City of Malolos (), is a component city and capital of the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 261,189 people. It is the capital city of the province of Bulacan as the ...

* John Paul II Minor Seminary (

Antipolo Antipolo, officially the City of Antipolo (), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Rizal (province), Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, ...

, Rizal) – high school seminary of the

Diocese of Antipolo The Diocese of Antipolo (Latin: ''Dioecesis Antipolensis'', Filipino: ''Diyosesis ng Antipolo'', Spanish: ''Diócesis de Antipolo'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines that compri ...

* Oblates of St. Joseph Minor Seminary ( San Jose, Batangas) – high school seminary * Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary (

Makati Makati ( ; ), officially the City of Makati (), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, known for being one of the leading financial centers in the country. As of 2013, the city has the highest concent ...

) – high school seminary of the

Archdiocese of Manila In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...

* Our Lady of Mount Carmel Seminary ( Sariaya, Quezon) – Diocese of Lucena * Pope John XXIII Seminary (Cebu City) – Archdiocese of Cebu * Pope Paul VI Minor Seminary (

Maasin City Maasin (IPA: ɐˈʔasin, officially the City of Maasin (; , ), is a component city and capital of the province of Southern Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 87,446 people. It has 70 barangays and loc ...

Southern Leyte Southern Leyte (; Kabalian: ''Habagatan nga Leyte''; ; ), officially the Province of Southern Leyte, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Maasin. Southern Leyte comprised the ...

) * Saint Francis de Sales Minor Seminary (

Lipa City Lipa (), officially the City of Lipa (), is a component city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 372,931 people. It is the first city with a charter in the province and one of five ...

, Batangas) – minor (high school) seminary of the Archdiocese of Lipa * Holy Rosary Minor Seminary (

Naga City, Camarines Sur Naga, officially the City of Naga ( Central Bikol: ''Siyudad nin Naga''; Rinconada Bikol: ''Siyudad ka Naga''; ; ), or the Pilgrim City of Naga, is an independent component city in the Bicol Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 ce ...

)

Archdiocese of Caceres In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...

* St. Gregory the Great Seminary (Panal,

Tabaco City Tabaco, officially the City of Tabaco (; ), is a component city in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,961 people. Etymology According to native stories, the "Legend of Tabaco" was abo ...

) – Diocese of Legazpi * Our Lady of Peñafrancia Seminary

Sorsogon City Sorsogon City, officially the City of Sorsogon (Southern Sorsogon language, Waray Sorsogon: ''Syudad san Sorsogon''; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, pro ...

) - Diocese of Sorsogon * St. Anthony High School Seminary (Kinamaligan,

Masbate City Masbate City, officially the City of Masbate (Masbateño language, Masbateño: ''Syudad san Masbate''; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Masbate, P ...

) Under the supervision of the Diocese of Masbate * Sto. Nino Seminary (

Numancia, Aklan Numancia, officially the Municipality of Numancia ( Aklanon: ''Banwa it Numancia''; Hiligaynon: ''Banwa sang Numancia''; ), is a municipality in the province of Aklan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 35,693 peo ...

) – minor and college * St. Pius X Seminary (Lawaan,

Roxas City Roxas (, ), officially the City of Roxas (Capiznon language, Capiznon/; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Capiz, Philippines. According to the 2 ...

Capiz Capiz (), officially the Province of Capiz (Capiznon language, Capiznon/Hiligaynon language, Hiligaynon: ''Kapuoran sang Capiz''; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the central part of the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines ...

) – Archdiocese of Capiz * Saint Vincent Ferrer Seminary – (

Jaro, Iloilo City Jaro (, ) is a district in Iloilo City, Philippines. It is the largest district in terms of both geographical area and population, with 130,700 people according to the 2020 census. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro, whi ...

) –

Archdiocese of Jaro The Archdiocese of Jaro (; ; ; ) is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church headquartered in Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines. Its episcopal see is at the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, also the National Shrine of ...

* Seminario de San Jose (

Puerto Princesa City Puerto Princesa (, American Spanish: , European Spanish: ), officially the City of Puerto Princesa ( Cuyonon: ''Siyudad i'ang Puerto Princesa''; ), is a highly urbanized city in the Mimaropa region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 cen ...

Palawan Palawan (, ), officially the Province of Palawan (; ), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of . The capital and largest c ...

) – minor and major seminary * Seminario de Jesús Nazareno (

Borongan Borongan, officially the City of Borongan (Waray-waray language, Waray: ''Siyudad han Borongan''; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Eastern Sam ...

City,

Eastern Samar Eastern Samar ( Waray-Waray: ''Sinirangan Samar''; ), officially the Province of Eastern Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Borongan, which is the most populous. Eastern Samar ...

) – Diocese of Borongan

Poland

* Minor Seminary in Częstochowa – high school seminary of the Archdiocese of Częstochowa * Minor Seminary of the Diocese of Płock –

Diocese of Płock In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...

Romania

Minor Seminary in Bacau Minor may refer to: Common meanings * Minor (law), a person not under the age of certain legal activities. * Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education Mathematics * Graph minor, Minor (graph theory), a relation of on ...

- high school seminary of the Diocese of Iasi

United States

Blessed Jose Sanchez del Rio Minor Seminary
(

Mankato Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The population was 44,488 at the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Mi ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

), high school seminary run by the

Institute of the Incarnate Word The Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) () is a Catholic religious institute founded in Argentina by Fr. Carlos Miguel Buela on March 25, 1984. It is a religious institute of diocesan right. The institute is the male branch of the Religious Fa ...

; opened in 2008. * Sacred Heart Apostolic School ( Rolling Prairie,

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

) run by the

Legionaries of Christ The Legionaries of Christ (in , abbreviated L.C.) is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of pontifical right founded on January 3, 1941, by the Mexican Catholic priest Marcial Maciel. It belongs constitutively to the spiritual family of Regn ...

, opened in 2005 * St. Lawrence High School Seminary (

Mount Calvary Calvary ( or ) or Golgotha () was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where, according to Christianity's four canonical gospels, Jesus was crucified. Since at least the early medieval period, it has been a destination for pilgrimage. ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

) run by the Capuchin Friars, opened in 1860 * St. Joseph Seminary ( Rathdrum,

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

) -

Sedevacantist Sedevacantism is a traditionalist Catholic movement which holds that since the 1958 death of Pius XII the occupiers of the Holy See are not valid popes due to their espousal of one or more heresies and that, for lack of a valid pope, the See ...

( CRMI)

Uganda

*Bukalasa Minor Seminary * Christ the King Seminary, Kisubi, * St. Joseph's Seminary, Nyenga * Mubende Seminary – in Nandele and Nyenga * Nadiket seminary – for the dioceses of Kotido and Moroto * Saint Charles seminary * Saints Joseph's and Gabriel's Junior Seminary Nswanjere – located in Nswanjere, Mpigi District. * St. Pius X Seminary – Nagongera – Located in Tororo district; West Budama County; Junior and Minor Seminary * St. Paul's Seminary – Rushoroza – in Kabale for Kabale Diocese * Kitabi Seminary in Bushenyi for Mbarara Arch diocese * Sacred Heart Mission for the Brothers of Divine Mercy; Missionary preparation * Sacred Heart Seminary Lacor – Gulu archdiocese * St Peter's Seminary-Madera) – in Soroti for Soroti Diocese

Vietnam

* Sacred Heart Seminary of Thai Binh – Minor Seminary of the Diocese of Thái Bình * Saint Nicolas Seminary of Phan Thiet – Minor Seminary of the Diocese of Phan Thiết

External links

Code of Canon Law (1983), IntraText edition with referenced concordance, hosted by the Vatican
*

Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (; CMRI) is a sedevacantist Traditionalist Catholic religious congregation. The CMRI is dedicated to promoting the message of Our Lady of Fátima and the devotion of the practice of Total Consecrat ...

(

sedevacantist Sedevacantism is a traditionalist Catholic movement which holds that since the 1958 death of Pius XII the occupiers of the Holy See are not valid popes due to their espousal of one or more heresies and that, for lack of a valid pope, the See ...

)
Blessed Jose Sanchez del Rio Minor SeminarySacred Heart Apostolic School

References

{{reflist School types