ST. PIUS X SEMINARY
Archdiocese of Dubuque
Loras College
Dubuque, Iowa
(563) 556-2580

Administration/Personnel Rector
The Rector is appointed by the Archbishop of Dubuque. He has responsibility for overseeing the entire seminary formation program. His primary concern is for the spiritual and personal welfare of students and faculty.

Rector
Rev. Scott E. Bullock, J.C.L.
Archdiocese of Dubuque
P.O. Box 479
Dubuque IA 52004-0479
Office: (563) 556-2580
dbqcsem@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us
FAX: (563) 556-5464

Vice-Rector
The Vice-Rector is appointed by the Archbishop of Dubuque. His primary responsibility is to assist the Rector in the academic component of the formation process and in the evaluation of students. He also supervises the field education of undergraduate seminarians.

Vice-Rector
Rev. Phillip G. Gibbs, M.A.
Archdiocese of Dubuque
P.O. Box 479
Dubuque IA 52004-0479
Office (563) 556-2580
dbqcvo@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us
FAX: (563) 556-5464

Director of Spiritual Formation
The Director of Spiritual Formation is appointed by the Archbishop of Dubuque. His primary responsibility is to assist the Rector by coordinating the entire spiritual formation program of the seminary, including that of the pre-theologate. He makes provision for individual spiritual directors for the students, directs the liturgical life of the seminary community and is responsible for days of recollection and the required semester retreats.

The Director of Spiritual Formation
Rev. William M. Joensen, Ph.D
Loras College, Box 37
1450 Alta Vista Street
Dubuque IA 52004-0178
Office (563) 588-7463
william.joensen@loras.edu
FAX: (563) 588-7292

       
St. Pius X Seminary is associated with Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa, operated under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The seminary provides a full undergraduate education and preparation for theological seminary. In addition, it provides a pre-theology program for students who have already acquired a bachelor's degree but do not have the academic background required for admission to a theological seminary. Both programs follow the guidelines set out by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in its Program of Priestly Formation, 4th Ed. In the terminology of that document, St. Pius X is a collaborative diocesan seminary.

Mission
St. Pius X Seminary exists to assist students in discerning the call to priesthood and to provide the spiritual, academic and personal formation described in the Program of Priestly Formation of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. The seminary provides a coordinated program to meet the needs of students in five principal areas: human growth, spiritual growth, intellectual formation, pastoral formation and community living. All aspects of formation converge on a common mission: enabling candidates to reach an appropriate level of readiness to participate fruitfully and successfully in priestly formation at the theologate level.

Goals
In order to fulfill this mission, the following specific goals are pursued:

1. Provide for spiritual growth through individual and group spiritual direction, the fostering of a life of prayer and active participation in sacramental life.
2. Provide the opportunity for personal human growth through psychological assessment and counseling.
3. Provide, for undergraduates, a liberal arts education leading to a bachelor's degree and, for all seminarians, a sound foundation in the philosophical, theological and linguistic areas described in the Program of Priestly Formation. The seminary fosters, through its own seminary academic advisor, a well-rounded academic formation.
4. Foster an understanding of the nature and forms of priestly ministry.
5. Foster an understanding of the mission of the Church and loyalty to that mission.
6. Foster a sense of mutual support and community among the seminarians.
7. Encourage appropriate opportunities for seminarians to work and interact socially with other college students.
8. Promote pastoral formation through participation in ministries and service both on and off the campus.
9. Provide an ongoing evaluative process to assist the seminarian in his continuing discernment and to assist his diocese in making decisions about advancement toward priesthood.
10. Render assistance to those still in the process of discerning a possible call to priesthood.

Summary of Program Elements
1. Students must submit to the Rector the requisite documents for admission. See ADMISSION.
2. Students take part in the seminary's program of spiritual formation and the weekly formation meetings as described under SPIRITUAL AND PERSONAL FORMATION.
3. At any time in his course of studies, the student may begin to fulfill the academic requirements described under INTELLECTUAL FORMATION. Undergraduates will ordinarily require the customary four years in order to obtain a bachelor's degree and fulfill the academic requirements necessary for entry to theological seminary. Pre-theology students will normally expect their program to extend over two years. However, the requirements are adapted to meet the variety of student needs.
4. Students are required to participate in a ministry or service activity each semester.
5. Students must submit the appropriate documents for their annual evaluation. See EVALUATION.
6. For more intense and focused formation, pre-theologians reside together in an off-campus residence supervised by the director of the pre-theology program. First and second year undergraduates reside in ordinary student housing on campus but those undergraduates in immediate preparation for major seminary (third and fourth year students) are asked to reside in the pre-theology residence. See COMMUNITY LIFE.

Finances
All Loras College students make their financial arrangements through the Office of Financial Assistance. In addition to the usual forms of aid available for college students, Loras College administers a special endowment for the education of seminarians. This fund can usually provide substantial assistance.

ADMISSION

For acceptance into the St. Pius X Seminary program, a student must:
• be evaluated psychologically by the college Counseling Center or sponsoring diocese
• be enrolled at Loras College or accepted for enrollment.
• provide a recent certificate of baptism and confirmation.
• provide appropriate references.
• be interviewed and approved by the Rector and Vice-Rector.
• provide a formal letter from his Bishop endorsing his participation in the program.
• sign and give to the Rector a "Consent to Disclose" form giving him permission to share with bishops and vocation directors any information or documents pertinent to his evaluation.
Students enrolled at Loras may be admitted provisionally pending completion of these procedures.

SPIRITUAL AND PERSONAL FORMATION

The spiritual and personal formation program aims to help the student reach a level of development that will enable him to participate successfully in priestly formation at the theologate level. In this process, the student is introduced to the Catholic heritage of prayer, devotion and spiritual practice.

The spiritual program, supervised by the Director of Spiritual Formation, is comprised of the following elements:
• daily participation in the Eucharist
• daily celebration of the Liturgy of Hours
• special conferences, semester retreats, and other opportunities for spiritual and personal growth
• biweekly meetings with an approved priest spiritual director, correlated with weekly reflections from formation meetings
• regular reception of the sacrament of penance (at least monthly)
• weekly formation meetings.

The weekly formation meetings focus around but are not confined to these topics:
• PRAYER AND THE SACRAMENTS:
Spiritual Direction; Traditional Methods of Prayer (oratio, lectio, meditatio, contemplatio); Public Prayer; Liturgy of the Hours; Devotion to Mary and the Saints; Prayer and Virtue; the Spiritual Exercises of Fasting, Almsgiving, and Self-Sacrifice; the Sacrament of Penance; the Meaning of the Eucharist; the Proper Celebration of the Eucharist; Proper Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament; Personalities and Prayer Styles; Schools of Christian Prayer; Great Mystics in Christian Spirituality.
• HUMAN DEVELOPMENT:
Requisite Human Qualities of a Priest; Living Celibacy; Spirituality and Sexuality; Celibacy—A Call to Intimacy; Evangelical Counsels: the Context of Living Celibacy; Seminary Expectations as a Guide to Living Celibacy.
• PRIESTHOOD:
Priesthood’s Foundation: Baptism and Confirmation; Priesthood As Paschal Mystery; Spiritual Reflection on the Call to Discipleship; Mary, the Model of Priestly Discipleship; Doctrine of the Ministerial Priesthood; Priest as Teacher; Priest as Preacher; Priest as Leader of Prayer; Spirituality of Diocesan Priesthood; Priesthood Formation in Major Seminary; the Church You Will Serve.
• VOCATIONAL DISCERNMENT:
Spiritual Direction; Discernment of Spirits; Development of Discernment Regarding Media and Entertainment; Requisite Spiritual Qualities of a Priest; The Way of the Cross, the Way of the Christian; Meaning of a Vocation to the Priesthood; Discernment of a Vocation Through Community Life.
• THEOLOGICAL:
Understanding and Celebrating the Incarnation; Grace on Nature; Philosophical Prerequisites for Theology; Right to Life Issues; Theological Reflection of Ministry; Universal Call to Holiness; Spirituality and Social Concerns.

As part of a preparation for living a celibate life, dating is not permitted for seminarians in the program.

INTELLECTUAL FORMATION

Central to the academic formation of all college seminarians and pre-theology students is the study of philosophy. The study of undergraduate theology is likewise essential, especially for those who lack adequate catechesis in the faith.

If a degree-seeking student does not select philosophy as a major, he is encouraged to select a major other than religious studies. The major field selected should have a strong liberal arts component. Although major seminaries differ somewhat in their requirements for admission, students should in general fulfill the curriculum below. Specific requirements can be tailored to the needs of the individual student and/or the program of the student's diocese.

PHILOSOPHY (required, 30 credits)
101 Critical Reasoning: Principles and Applications
220. Ancient Philosophy
221. Medieval Philosophy
222. Modern Philosophy
223. Contemporary Philosophy
230. Human Identity in Community
231. Foundational Ethics
321. Knowledge, Truth, and Reality
333. Philosophy of God and Religion
One additional course, with prior consent of the Vice-Rector.

RELIGIOUS STUDIES (required, 12 credits)
112. Ultimate Concerns: An Introduction to Theology
113. Introduction to the Bible
114. Introduction to Christian Values
215. The Church
217. Basic Catholic Teachings
316. Christian Discipleship and Prayer
318. The Teachings of Vatican II
320. Sacraments: Sign and Reality
335. Faith and Unbelief

CLASSICAL STUDIES (strongly recommended)
101-102. First Year Greek
105-106. First Year Latin
Any additional Classical Studies courses as time allows, such as: 116. Greek Civilization, 117. Roman Civilization and 220. Early Christian Writers.

MODERN LANGUAGES
Students are encouraged to enroll in Spanish courses as time permits or, if necessary, English as a Second Language (ESL).

HISTORY (recommended) Courses in European history that include elements of the history of the Church, such as 342. Reformation and 343. Medieval Christianity.

When using Internet for research, seminarians are expected to refrain from visiting pornographic and/or immoral websites, as in accord with Catholic moral tradition.

PASTORAL FORMATION

The pastoral formation component of the program aims to introduce the student to the practical, pastoral life of the Church. Students work under the direction of the Vice-Rector and a supervisor at the level of the pastoral experience itself. This component includes the following:

FOR FIRST AND SECOND YEAR UNDERGRADUATES:
• Engage in an off-campus service or ministry activity during each academic year.
• At least once during the student's stay at Loras, take part in a college-sponsored service trip, with a follow-up written theological reflection.
• Participate in campus life organizations or perform other on-campus service.

FOR THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR UNDERGRADUATES AND PRE-THEOLOGY STUDENTS:
• Participate in an approved pastoral activity of the Church, especially parochial ministry.
• Undergo evaluation by the on-site supervisor regarding the student's pastoral effectiveness and his areas of potential growth as a pastoral minister.

FOR BOTH:
• Participate in theological reflection sessions, which help the seminarian integrate his spiritual life, his theological studies, and his ministerial experience.

COMMUNITY LIFE

FIRST AND SECOND YEAR UNDERGRADUATES normally live in approved college housing. They are expected to take part in appropriate community activities associated with ordinary college life. In addition, through common worship and prayer, formation meetings and special social events, they develop a sense of community with other seminarians.

THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR UNDERGRADUATES AND PRE-THEOLOGY STUDENTS are normally required to live in the Vianney House Pretheology residence. This experience of a seminary community plays a significant role in the personal and spiritual growth of the pre-theologian. Such community living provides mutual support, promotes forbearance and fraternal correction, and provides an opportunity for the development of leadership and talent. Furthermore, the community of prayer provides spiritual support for the pre-theologian as he continues to discern his vocation to the priesthood. For more information, see Vianney House.

EVALUATION

An evaluation of the seminarian's progress is made each year. The Rector composes an evaluation, to be sent to the student's Vocation Director and Bishop, based upon the following material:

• A written self-evaluation composed by the seminarian.
• The Vice-Rector's report on academic performance, the student's performance in the community and pastoral aspects of the program, and any other information he considers pertinent.
• The Rector's own observations of the student's overall progress.
• A general report of the Director of Spiritual Formation, taking into consideration the student’s report on Spiritual Growth and Blessings, attesting to the seminarian's fulfillment of the requirements of the spiritual formation component of the program.

Once the evaluation is composed by the Rector, the student reviews the report. He then makes an appointment to meet with the Rector to discuss it. The Rector is free to revise the report, based on these discussions and may include any notations requested by the seminarian. The student signs the final report, which is then sent to his Bishop or Vocation Director, along with other relevant material.