What is St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary?

The word “seminary” comes from the Latin word “seminarium” meaning “seed bed.” A seminary is a place where a vocation to the priesthood develops from the original germ that led the young man to enter the seminary, to its full growth on ordination day. A vocation is a calling from God to dedicate one’s life to Him in a special manner. It is precisely at the seminary that a young man’s vocation is “tried” i.e. through years of discernment and training, the young man and his superiors come to the determination of whether he is truly being called by God.

St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary (STAS) is a house of studies of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), established in the United States in 1973, for the formation of Roman Catholic priests according to the traditional teaching of the Church.

What makes STAS different from the other seminaries in America?

St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary draws from the greatest riches of the 2,000 year history of the Church in the formation of her priests. The formation that the seminarians receive is traditional in every aspect: doctrine, liturgy, retreats, daily schedule, etc. The core of the seminarians' study is the philosophy and theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, while moderate proficiency in Latin is required before ordination. A typical day in the life of the seminarian contains three hours of prayer, four hours of study, three hours of classes, and a hour and a half of recreation. Seminarians are expected to attain the holiness required of a priest, through the means provided at the Seminary: daily Mass, meditation, Rosary, and hours of the Divine Office, as well as Benediction, Ignatian retreats, monthly recollections, and weekly confession and spiritual direction.

How long is the formation that the seminarian receives?

It lasts six or seven years, depending on the previous education of the entering seminarian. The first year, the year of Humanities, gives the seminarian a natural foundation for the supernatural formation ahead, through courses in Catholic Doctrine, Latin, Literature, English Composition, and Music. The year of Spirituality follows, wherein seminarians learn about the spiritual life in Ascetical and Mystical Theology, and take introductory courses of Scripture, Liturgy, and Acts of the Magisterium. Next come two years of philosophy, which cover the History of Philosophy, Logic, Cosmology, Psychology, Ethics, and Metaphysics. The seminarian completes his formation with three years of theology, following St. Thomas' Summa Theologica in Dogmatic and Moral Theology. Each of the last five years also contains courses in Scripture and Church History.

What happens once a priest is ordained?

After ordination in June, the new priest spends a few months saying first Masses at his home parish and other locations. Then, in the middle of August, he reports to the priory to which he has been assigned by the Superior General of the SSPX. The Society of St. Pius X, being a missionary congregation, has chapels in over 60 countries, and the newly-ordained may be sent to minister to the needs of the faithful in any of these localities.

What if I think that I might have a vocation?

An important thing to understand is that a vocation cannot be decided or "figured out" in the world. A young man must enter the Seminary if he is to know certainly whether God is calling him or not. With all of the distractions and temptations in the world, however, this can be very difficult. Often it is harder just to make it to the Seminary than to stay. If you think that there is any possibility that you might have a vocation, we recommend that you take as many of the following steps as possible, remembering that your salvation might depend on you answering God's call:
1) Talk to a priest of the Society of the St. Pius X. He can give you good advice on the direction you ought to take.
2) Go on an Ignatian retreat. God speaks in silence. On a retreat, you will be able to see clearly what God wants you to do.
3) Visit the Seminary. Coming to the Seminary and speaking to the professors and seminarians will give you a fuller understanding of seminary life and the Catholic priesthood.

When is a good time to visit the Seminary?

For those interested in pursuing a vocation, the best time to visit is when classes are in session, i.e. from the middle of October until the middle of June, excluding the two weeks following Christmas and Easter. If possible, a prospective seminarian should visit for a week in order to get a well-rounded view of seminary life.

For all others, the ideal times to visit are at the various ordinations that take place during the year:
1) Reception of the cassock and the Clerical Tonsure – February 2
2) Reception of the Minor Orders and the Subdiaconate – fifteen days before Easter
3) Ordination to the Diaconate and the Priesthood – the Saturday that falls between June 19 and June 25

Where is St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary?

It is located in Winona, Minnesota, about two miles west of the intersection of Highway 14 and 61.

What is the Society of St. Pius X?

The Society is a priestly fraternity founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre for the preservation of the traditional Catholic priesthood. For more information please see our section on the Society.

What is the Tridentine Mass?

Put simply, the Tridentine Mass is the Mass that was being said in every Catholic Church of the Roman Rite before Vatican II (1962-65). It is the Mass that has nourished the piety of countless saints throughout the ages. It was “canonized” or set in stone by Pope St. Pius V in 1571, but is not essentially different from the oldest recorded liturgies that history has left us.

Does the Seminary recognize the authority of Pope Benedict XVI?

Absolutely. We are Roman Catholics, professing filial loyalty to Pope Benedict XVI as Successor to St. Peter. We accept all that comes from proper authority which is in keeping with the Truths, Doctrines and Traditions of Holy Mother Church, and we necessarily reject all that does not conform to those criteria.

What are Prime, Lauds, Sext, Vespers, and Compline?

These are hours of the Divine Office. The Office is the daily prayer of priests and is also referred to as "The Liturgy of the Hours." Lauds and Vespers are sung at the Seminary on Sundays, while Prime, Sext, and Compline are sung every day.

Does the SSPX offer vocations for women?

The Society has its own congregation of sisters, which has its U.S. novitiate in Browerville, MN. For more information, please visit http://www.sspx.org/vocations_index.htm 

What about vocations to a religious order?

There are many traditional religious orders for men and women: Benedictines, Redemptorists, and Dominicans for men and Carmelites, Benedictines, Franciscans, and Dominicans for women. Please contact sspx.org for more information.

Is there a chapel of the SSPX near me?

For a complete list of the chapels of the Society in the United States, please visit http://www.sspx.org/chapels.htm

How big is the SSPX?

The Society, as of 2005, has about 470 priests in over 60 countries.

Does the SSPX have seminaries in other countries?

The Society also has seminaries in France, Switzerland, Germany, Argentina, and Australia. Please see our links page for more information.