Contents
Fulfilling Our Mission
History of
Assumption Seminary
Spiritual
Life During Priestly Formation
Liturgical
Life During Priestly Formation
Academic Formation
Pastoral Formation
Priestly Collaboration
Emphasis on
Hispanic Ministry
Community Life
Formation Advisor
Evaluation
Reception of
Ministries and Orders
Related Institutions
Admission Requirements
Distinguished Alumni
Board of Directors
San Antonio
Our Mission
Assumption Seminary is a bilingual and multi-cultural
community of priestly formation. This seminary exists for the personal, spiritual,
theological and ministerial preparation of diocesan seminarians for the Roman Catholic
Church.
Assumption Seminary's goal is to enable Christ-centered men to grow and develop as
collaborative and culturally sensitive pastoral leaders committed to the gospel.
Assumption Seminary is recognized for its pastoral and cultural approach of integration
for priesthood candidates with particular emphasis on Hispanic ministry.
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Fulfilling Our Mission
In the fulfillment of Assumption's mission statement,
continual growth, integration and hospitality are key concepts.
Assumption Seminary's thrust, as demanded by the gospel, is the ongoing process of
personal conversion and professional growth. The gifts God generously has bestowed upon
us, and the people we are preparing to serve, call forth our best efforts. To give or to
seek less is to minimize God's call, the gospel, the people of God and oneself.
Overall integration is sought in the following areas: personal and spiritual; pastoral and
academic; and liturgical and cultural. the process of integration requires God's grace,
time and a genuine openness on the part of the seminarian. This also necessitates a
community of students, faculty and staff inviting and supporting one another on the path
to becoming authentic, faith-filled witnesses and ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The hospitable way we interrelate and welcome people makes collaboration and professional
networking hallmarks of Assumption Seminary. Numerous opportunities to live the virtue of
hospitality are presented by the Assumption community's relationship with the
Mexican-American Cultural Center, the Oblate School of Theology, other educational and
formational institutions, the Archdiocese of San Antonio and other diocese throughout the
United States and Mexico.
Hospitality is the kind of virtue that can be lived daily, both on an individual basis and
as a community.
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History of Assumption Seminary
The Diocese of San Antonio was established in 1874. Under
the guidance of its first Bishop, the Right Reverend Anthony Dominic Pellicer, a system
for training seminarians was initiated. Two years later, however, these early seminarians
in San Antonio were transferred to Seguin, where a group of Jesuits exiled from Mexico had
founded Guadalupe College. In 1880, students were moved to St. Joseph's College in
Victoria, which remained in service until 1902. As there was no longer a seminary in the
diocese, many turned to the newly opened San Antonio Philosophical and Theological
Seminary, now Oblate College.
Faced with a severe shortage of priests, an average of only one per every 1,000 square
miles in the diocese, and a burgeoning population of Catholic intensified by the
Revolution in Mexico, Bishop John W. Shaw opened a seminary in his residence in 1915. Five
years later, the school was given the name of St. John's Seminary and was relocated to a
site adjacent to immaculate Conception Mission. In 1928, two years after San Antonio was
elevated to an Archdiocese, a theology department was added. Priests from the Archdiocese
formed the core of the faculty of the flourishing seminary.
Following the silver jubilee celebration of St. John's Seminary, newly-installed
Archbishop Robert E. Lucey placed the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian Fathers) in
World War II, Archbishop Lucey purchased the former facility of Trinity University on
Woodlawn Avenue. During the dedication ceremonies for the new facility in 1952, the name
Assumption Seminary was bestowed upon it.
As part of a major re-organization movement after the Second Vatican Council, Archdiocesan
clergy once again assumed responsibility for the administration of the school in 1967. The
Mission Road facility was closed, and theology students began taking academic courses at
Oblate College of the Southwest in 1969. The undergraduate department also was closed,
and, to prepare adults for bicultural ministry, the Mexican American Cultural Center was
opened on the Woodlawn Avenue campus in 1972. This represented the fulfillment of a
ministerial need first recognized by Bishop John Shaw in 1911: "I have laid down a
rule that for the future no student will be ordained until such time as he can speak
Spanish fluently."
In September of 1987, 1,000 Polish-Texans gathered outside the seminary chapel for an
historic event at Assumption Seminary - an audience with Pope John Paul II Seminarians
were able to be with the Pope several times during his stay on the campus. The visit
served as an inspiration and a sign of hope for the entire seminary community.
Dioceses of Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and
Texas currently benefit from the services of the more than 500 ordained alumni produced
during the 80-plus years of Assumption Seminary's history. Twelve bishops have emerged
from the distinguished graduates of the seminary.
Assumption Seminary continues to respond to the "signs of the times" for the
American Church as it prepares men for creative ministry in the Catholic Priesthood. By
concentrating upon the development of men for Hispanic ministry and for church leadership
through collaboration in ministry, Assumption Seminary is meeting the challenge of calling
forth effective leaders for the church to direct it as it moves into the next millennium.
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Spiritual Life During Priestly
Formation
The spiritual life program encourages a knowledge of
Scripture, liturgical spirituality, cultural sensitivity, liturgical competence and
personal spiritual growth and holiness designed to serve the Assumption seminarian during
formation and to grow with them as an ordained presbyter.
The basic thrust of spirituality fostered and developed springs from Word and Eucharist.
Contemporary presbyters may follow a line of growth similar to that of the faithful men
and women of the Scripture, as well as the great early Christian Pastors and Doctors of
the Church who assiduously trod the same spiritual pathways in their own times. This
development is individual, Eucharistic and communal and is carried out in the context of a
faith-filled, multi-cultural community. Since the spiritual life of the community flows
from its faith-filled members, our goal is for these presbyters to speak clearly to the
community. Such development involves hearing the Word, becoming the Word and preaching the
Word. Solid food form the Eucharist and the Sacred Scriptures, "the source of the
wisdom which through faith in Jesus Christ leads to salvation" (2Tim.2:15), fosters a
discipline of learning to discern between good and evil (Heb.5:14). Learning, reflecting
and praying on these things leads candidates for the priesthood to the full stature of
Christ where they will not only put on Christ, die with Christ and rise up to a new life
with Christ, but also where they consciously realize ,mystical unity with Christ by
experiencing its vital reality in living practice.
Out of this preparatory foundation arises the capacity for the primary duty and task of
the presbyterate: to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to all. The preacher succeeds
only in as much as he becomes the Good News by serving as a living witness to his message.
Priests should have "hearts big enough and minds open enough to lead the church into
the new millennia," advised Pope John Paul II in a 1993 speech.
Individual spiritual direction monitors and challenges each seminarian's personal growth
in the Spirit. Bimonthly Spiritual Life Conferences led by faculty and invited speakers
bring together the entire student body for deeply reflective talks on wide-ranging topics
apropos to living as today's prebyter.
Formation takes place as students and faculty live, pray and work together at Assumption
Seminary. A very significant and integral part of this formation process is each
individual's participation in the Priestly Formation Groups. As Pope John Paul II states
in his Apostolic Exhortation, Pastores Dabo Vobis, "...the whole work of priestly
formation would be deprived of its necessary foundation if it lacked a suitable human
formation." Students engage in dynamic discussions of pertinent issues in these
Priestly Formation Groups so that "as iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens the
countenance of his friend" (Pv.27:17).
Each Priestly Formation Group meets twice monthly with a formation faculty member for an
hour and a half. These groups are divided by class years. The atmosphere characterizing
the Priestly Formation Groups is confidentiality, trust, sharing, openness and acceptance.
The groups strive to fully integrate all the aspects of human growth to facilitate the
participant's gradual preparation for the demands of ordained ministry.
Outline of Priestly Formation Group
Meetings
Pre-Theology: Awakening the Call
Conversion and Our Baptismal Commitment
What is Formation?
Discernment and Spiritual Direction
Entrusting Yourself to Another
Prayer and Eucharist
Culture and Spirituality
Human Sexuality
Community Life and Individual Lifestyles
Living Other Centered Lives
I Theology: Growing as Christian Persons
Universal Call to Holiness
Respect: Dignity of the Human Person
Christian Obedience: Guided by the Spirit
Role of the Church in Our Daily Lives
Simplicity of Lifestyle
Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving
Solitude versus Loneliness
Social Responsibility
Reconciliation
Charism of the Diocesan Priest
II Theology: Living Gospel-Centered Lives
The Many Faces of Jesus
Gospel Values
Conversion: Universal Call to Holiness
Role of the Community in Spiritual Growth
Communal Prayer
Catholic Heritage and Traditions
A Moral Ethic
Discipleship and Mission of "The Twelve"
Call to Social Justice
III Theology: Responding through Commitment and
Service
Public Person
Personal Prayer
Lifestyle
Ecumenism
Women in the Church
Pastoral Leadership Styles
The Promises We Make
Parish Life
Prayer Leadership: Praying with the Community as Presider
IV Theology: Pastoral Internship
V Theology: Transitions into Ordained Ministry
Re-Entry and Six Additional Topics Selected by the Group
Looking Back at Internship
The Ecclesial
Pastoral Stewardship
Challenges of Ordained Ministry
Joint Session with III Theology: Internship Experience
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Liturgical Life during Priestly
Formation
Liturgical life at Assumption Seminary aligns closely with
the spiritual life program. Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharist are paramount in the
student's life. Monthly planning sessions include reflection on liturgical texts and the
meaning of different liturgical seasons. Reader, acolyte, Eucharistic minister, music
leader, cantor, homilist and deacon are among the liturgical roles students, as
appropriate to their stages in the formation process, assume in the community.
Third-Year, Internship and Fifth-Year students preach in both English and Spanish at
Eucharist. All seminarians participate in groups organizing different cultural
celebrations and interact in liturgical formation sessions.
Continuing work begun in Oblate School of Theology's Presidential Leadership Course,
Fifth-Year students practice the rites in English and Spanish and learn the musical
settings for presiders. Sessions on rite and presiding at worship are held prior to the
Pastoral Internship.
Students are encouraged to participate in diocesan and other seminars which provide
information as well as practical skills for leadership within the liturgical sphere.
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Academic Formation
Assumption Seminary encourages academic excellence as an
essential ingredient in the process of priestly formation. It strives to achieve a
balanced instructional program with solid grounding in the church's theology and
spirituality as a basis for ministry.
While the normal program of studies will lead to the Master of Divinity degree through the
Oblate School of Theology, the earning of the degree in itself does not insure sufficient
preparation for the pastoral ministry. The initiative of the student in acquiring the
knowledge, skills and experience necessary for a fruitful ministry is an indication of the
strength of his vocation and the depth of his commitment to the priesthood. Alternative
academic programs are available to accommodate the needs of students.
Assumption Seminary has enjoyed its academic relationship with the Oblate School of
Theology since 1969. The school also serves seminarians from various religious orders -
Claretian, Holy Cross, Holy Family, Marianist, Missionhurst, Oblate, Pallotine and
Redemptorist - as well as other religious and laity.
Master of Divinity
The Master of Divinity degree is designed to provide a solid
foundation in the various theological disciplines and in the development of ministerial
skills in order to prepare for effective ministry in the church.
At the Oblate School of Theology, the following objectives lead to the goal of this
degree:
to facilitate the acquisition of an understanding of the
Hebrew/Christian Scriptures and the theological tradition of the Catholic community
to develop the ability to communicate the Christian message
through preaching, religious education, ext.
to acquire the skills and knowledge to assist in planning
for and presiding at the public worship of the Church
to gain experience in various ministerial settings and, in
relationship to and collaboration with others in the ministry, to acquire the skill of
theological reflection
to develop the ability to minister in a multicultural and
religiously plural society
to develop the skills to assist persons in personal and
religious crises
to learn to promote the development of the ministry in a
collaborative style recognizing the diversity of gifts
to assist the student in his personal and spiritual growth
through promoting the integration of academic, ministerial and life experience
to recognize his responsibility as a public representative
of the Church in society and to work for the common good
Required Courses: 92 Credit Hours
Elective Courses: 14 Credit Hours
Historical and Cultural Studies (3 of the following
for 9 credit hours)
Church History to the Reformation
Church History from the Reformation
American Church History
Religious History of the Southwest
Religious History of Mexico
Scriptural Studies (18 Credit Hours)
Introduction to Sacred Scripture
The Torah
Prophetic Literature of the Old Testament
Synoptic Gospels
Johannine Literature
Pauline Literature
Theological Studies (38 Credit Hours)
A. Systematics
Theology of Revelation and Faith
Christology: Jesus Christ and Human Redemption
Christian Anthropology: Humanity Transformed in Christ
God in the Christian Tradition: Mystery of the Triune God
Theology of Church, Ministry and Pastoral Office
B. Sacramental
Theology of Word and Sacrament
Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism and Conformation
Sacraments of Healing: Penance and Anointing of the Sick
Theology of Christian Eucharist
Christian Marriage: Theological and Canonical Aspects
C. Moral and Spiritual Theology (10 Credit Hours)
Foundations of Moral Theology
Catholic Social Thought
Theology of Human Sexuality
Introduction to Christian Spirituality
D. Interdisciplinary Studies (2 Credit Hours)
Seminar: Integration of Theological Studies
Pastoral Studies (27 Credit hours)
Practicum in Presidential Leadership in Liturgy
Introductory Preaching/ Predicacion Introductoria
Intermediate Preaching/ Predicacion Introductoria
Pastoral Catechetics - RCIA
Basic Pastoral Care
Pastoral Counseling
Marriage and Family Counseling
Orientation to Supervised Ministry
Theological Field Education
The total credit hours required for the Master of Divinity
degree are 106.
To obtain a current Oblate catalogue, telephone 210/341-1366.
Master of Arts in Theology
Some Assumption Seminary students may enroll simultaneously in
both the Master of Divinity Program and the Master of Arts in Theology Program at the
Oblate School. Students undertaking the dual-program of study will receive a Master of
Divinity degree plus a Master of Arts in Theology, which will prepare the student to teach
on the secondary and college levels or to pursue further doctoral studies in Theology. Two
tracks are offered - a general academic track and a research track.
The objectives of the degree are:
To facilitate a basic and critical understanding of the
various theological disciplines
To acquire an in-depth knowledge of one particular
theological discipline together with its main classical and contemporary sources
To demonstrate the ability to do graduate-level research.
Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry
Oblate School of Theology also offers a Master of Arts in
Pastoral Ministry degree designed to provide general theological education and basic
ministerial skills in order to prepare persons for various ministerial activities in the
faith community.
In order to achieve the purpose of this degree, the following objectives are established:
to acquire knowledge of the basic theological disciplines
including the concepts and principles which give direction to one's ministry and to
personal ministerial formation
to develop skills in theological reflection which will
assist in integrating theology into specific ministry experiences
to develop pastoral skills which demonstrate the
understanding of the pastoral need whether spiritual, psychological, cultural or social in
nature
Candidates in the Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry must
complete 33 semester hours of required courses, nine semester hours of electives and a
Pastoral Practicum.
Pre-Theology Program
A program of Pre-Theology Studies designed for students who
lack certain prerequisites to enter graduate studies has been developed by the Oblate
School in collaboration with religious formation communities in San Antonio and the Lay
Ministry formation programs at Oblate School. The program meets the requirements of the
Program of Priestly Formation, with courses in the areas of theology, philosophy and
academic skills at the undergraduate level. The program may require one or two years based
on a review of each student's background and experience.
Undergraduate Program
Undergraduate students needing basic degrees are enrolled in one of the three area
Catholic universities: Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Mary's University or The
University of the Incarnate Word. Courses in religious studies and philosophy will be
applied to fulfill the Pre-Theology requirements.
Language Program
Language students are enrolled at the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program at Our
Lady of the Lake University. Individual tutoring also is provided to supplement this
program.
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Pastoral Formation
Pastoral formation is a principal component of the training
program at Assumption Seminary. The program is designed so that, as the seminarian
progresses, he possesses an emerging pastoral sense and experiences a honing of a variety
of leadership and ministerial skills. The collaborative approach is emphasized to foster
the ability to work as members of a pastoral team with both men and women. It is organized
to instill respect for diversity and a strong cultural sensitivity while transforming the
seminarian into an ordained priest competent to call forth, encourage, enable and support
ministry among all the baptized.
The supervised Pastoral Ministry helps seminarians be professionally prepared to respond
to the changing needs of ministry in the Church by applying classroom skills in a variety
of pastoral settings. Each student ministers in pastoral placements to firmly anchor
theological theory with experience - to integrate personal, academic and spiritual
elements of life.
Theological Field Education
Oblate School of Theology and Assumption Seminary work collaboratively in the pastoral
training of men studying for the priesthood. Classwork, pastoral and cultural experiences
required by Oblate and Assumption are outlined, with training an experience seen as a
complete program, developmental in nature. One experience builds from the other,
pastorally leading the student through growth toward readiness for ordination as a priest.
Key elements in pastoral training are growth in self-knowledge, and development of
ministerial skills, particularly skills in communication and collaboration.
Engaging in theological reflection is central to the experience throughout the five-year
program of graduate theological preparation and is accomplished through verbatims and
process notes both in writing and the shared group experience.
During Theological Field Education at OST (Theology I, II and III), students in ministry
make Learning Covenants with their field supervisors to work out the details of their
pastoral experiences. In addition to the ongoing individual supervision and consultation,
students also gather for theological reflection seminars in peer-group settings. An
evaluation at the end of the year is made by the Theological Field Education Director, the
seminarian, his supervisor and the Directors of Pastoral Formation at Assumption.
I Theology
Orientation to supervised ministry in the fall and ministerial placement in the spring
Hispanic Mini-Pastoral
A summer program at the Mexican American Cultural Center is required for all students in
order to understand the Hispanic reality in the United States.
II Theology
A full year of supervised ministerial placement in a parish setting as a member of the
core team for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) or Children (RCIC)
III Theology
A full year of supervised ministerial experience, with placement in a parish, hospital,
agency or crisis center negotiated on the basis of need and to provide broadening
experiences
Clinical Pastoral Education (C.P.E.)
A summer unit of Clinical Pastoral Education in a hospital or prison generally expected
after II Theology or III Theology
IV Year: Pastoral Internship
Pastoral Internship takes place after III Theology and lasts for one full academic year.
The program was first developed by Oblate School of Theology in conjunction with the
Perkins School of Theology of Southern Methodist University. Through the years, it has
been updated to best reflect developments in theology and parish life. The program is
considered one of the most effective internship programs available to Catholic seminarians
in the United States.
Since the Internship is designed as an intentional educational process, the seminarian
writes a Learning Covenant in collaboration with the pastor and parish. It is developed
based on the student's formational goals and the needs and mission of the parish. The
overall goal is to achieve the human and faith maturation of the seminarian as a minister
while developing competence in pastoral skills.
Placement is in a parish in the student's respective diocese as a full-time member of the
pastoral team. Exposure to the full spectrum of parish life and ministerial experience is
expected. The entire parish community is understood to be a "teaching parish"
with the student.
The pastor serves as the mentor and supervisor. Eight to ten parishioners, representing a
cross-section of the parish, are chosen by the pastor to serve as the Internship
Committee. Their role with the student is to provide support, feedback, evaluation and
challenge. On a daily basis, the members of the Pastoral Team enfold the seminarian into
ministry in the parish guided by pastoral responsibilities agreed to in the Learning
Covenant.
Major evaluations are conducted by seminary personnel in January and in May utilizing
evaluation forms and visitation to the parish site. The results are put into written
evaluations focusing on the student's areas of strengths in ministry and the areas of
needed growth and formation.
Arrangements for the mechanics of the Internship are negotiated with the individual
dioceses through consultation with the bishops, vocation director and/or director of
seminarians.
V Year
The Integrating Seminar/Joint Pastoral Project (J.P.P.) allows students to work in groups
on a pastoral situation with the opportunity for integration of theory and practice.
The student is placed in a full year of pastoral ministry in a setting designed to
challenge and broaden experiences. The student functions liturgically as a deacon in a
parish following Diaconate Ordination.
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Priestly Collaboration
Collaboration in ministry is a style of leadership that
encourages shared power, authority and responsibility. The development of
lay leadership in
response to the baptismal call and Gospel commissioning is core to collaboration in the
ministry. An enlarging concept of ministry within the church is emerging as a result of
the Documents of Vatican II, the Revised Code of Canon Law, recent theology of parish and
community and the eagerness of lay Catholics to minister. As these new forms and styles of
ministry develop, the candidate must be prepared to guide the faithful to acceptance of
this Spirit-filled invitation.
The priest, in his ordained role as leader of a particular Christian community, plays the
central role in calling forth the community leaders. By discerning their gifts and
talents, he can channel them into appropriate ministries. In formation, the candidate is
challenged to develop himself for his future role as a presbyteral leader who enables,
facilitates, teaches and mentors those entrusted to his care. The candidate must own and
acknowledge these gifts and talents, recognizing their basis as a call from God to be an
ordained leader.
A strong ministry can be created by drawing upon the combination of talents of the lay and
ordained, male and female; and single and married. The seminarian will learn through both
theory and practice that the more collaboration thrives, the more responsive and alive the
Christian community will be in its building of the Kingdom of God. The candidate will
discover that dynamic collaboration will make his priesthood more wholesome and rewarding
on a personal level as well.
The commitment of the formation faculty is to witness, personally, with each other and
with students, collaboration in the ministry. The goal is to aid the priestly candidate to
find leadership within the parish community as life-giving and as a source of energy. The
student entering ministry must be an integrated and mature individual who has been
ministered to and assisted in the discernment of his own God-given gifts and talents. The
candidate's readiness for ordination will be determined in light of his understanding of
priesthood as a life of guiding and developing God's people.
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Emphasis on Hispanic Ministry
To help meet the need within the American Church for
priests to minister to the growing Hispanic communities, Assumption Seminary is committed
to preparing men of all cultures for a bilingual and bicultural ministry. The
multicultural reality of the Church necessitates that the seminarian develop an
understanding of and a sensitivity to the values of cultural groups other than his own,
and how culture impacts people's faith, life and view of the world. This is especially
critical for those seminarians who, because of their composition of their dioceses, will
serve people of a background different than their own.
Candidates wishing to be recommended for ordination must have the ability to preach and to
celebrate the Sacraments of the Church in English and Spanish. Equally important is the
candidate's level of comfort in both cultures. The cultural dimension is integral to
Assumption Seminary's total formation program in its spiritual, academic, pastoral and
personal growth dimensions.
Each student's needs are addressed in terms of his proficiency in writing, speech and
research skills in both English and Spanish. Weekly classes and individual tutoring are
utilized as needed. English as a Second Language (E.S.L.) students are supported by
courses at area colleges.
Communion, Prayer, Eucharist and Litany of the Hours are celebrated bilingually.
All students, generally the summer following their first year, are enrolled in the
Hispanic Mini-Pastoral in English or Spanish, whichever is their first language, at the
Mexican American Cultural Center located on the Assumption campus. The intensive
three-week program explores an understanding of ministry with Hispanic groups in the
United States. Seminars and lectures focus on themes of history, scripture, popular
religiosity, politics, family, poverty and leadership. Field trips and fiestas broaden the
array of cultural experiences.
The third year is highlighted by a Pastoral Spanish emphasis. Depending on diocesan and/or
seminary requirements, students can spend another summer in language school in Mexico in
preparation for their Internship Year. Students are encouraged to continue growing in
proficiency in their second language throughout their seminary training through tutoring
or language courses.
While San Antonio's large Mexican-American population fosters a multitude of opportunities
for multicultural experiences, life on campus is consistently enriched by the shared life,
whether in the cafeteria of liturgy, with students at the Mexican American Cultural
Center. These students are drawn from throughout the world and include missionaries
recently returned from Latin America. Students also help organize a variety of cultural
celebrations, including Diez-y-Seis, Fiesta de Guadalupe and Dia de los Muertos, as well
as Slavic Day, Martin Luther King Day and the Lunar New Year to further explore and
celebrate the multicultural wealth of the community.
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Community Life
Student life at Assumption Seminary serves as a communal
and collaborative model for ministering to and with one another. Leaders of the student
body should strive to act for the good of the community, being continually responsible to
it. Students are elected by ballot cast by their peers to chair committees which provide
input to the administration.
A member of the faculty sits on each committee to act as a liaison, and student
chairpersons meet with formation faculty on a regular basis. This structure provides for
ongoing dialogue between faculty and student body and offers numerous opportunities for
practicing and developing leadership skills.
The committees comprising Student Government at Assumption Seminary are:
Spiritual Life Committee,
Social Life Committee,
Physical Life Committee,
Academic Life Committee
and Justice and Peace Committee.
Spiritual Life Committee
Promoting the Growth and enrichment of liturgical, communal and personal spirituality is
the primary purpose of the Spiritual Life Committee. The goal of the group, comprised of
both elected seminarians and faculty members, incorporates both the provision of an
environment conductive to spiritual formation and the opportunity to develop the
liturgical skills necessary for service to the Church. The multicultural dimension of the
people of God receives special attention from this committee.
In pursuit of its mission, the committee operates in multiple areas of spiritual life by:
promoting the observance of traditional Catholic feasts and
seasons;
providing opportunities for a variety of prayer
experiences;
assisting in the preparation of retreats and Days of
Recollection;
and fostering community catechesis.
Social Life Committee
The Social Life Committee strives to build unity within the seminary and coordinate a
balanced community calendar of activities, thereby preserving a lively and fraternal
atmosphere. The committee tries to integrate the spiritual, cultural and fraternal life
within the seminary so that no one phase of Priestly Formation stands in isolation of the
others. It enables the community to be welcoming and hospitable to others.
The Social Life Committee:
serves as the point of contact for the planning of those
events that involve all classes;
coordinates the special events listed in the community
calendar;
and establishes a line of communication between and within
all committees in coordinating calendar events.
Physical Life Committee
The Physical Life Committee assists in planning the physical and recreational activities
of seminary life to create an outlet for physical fitness within the community. Planned
recreational activities are utilized to further kindle the spirit of fraternity within the
seminary community.
The Physical Life Committee undertakes:
to plan and execute athletic events;
and to coordinate a balanced schedule of physical
activities, including games, competitions, outings and health-club usage.
Academic Committee
The Academic Life Committee assists in ensuring that the best possible environment
conductive to the academic program is maintained at the seminary.
The Academic Committee:
serves as the voice of the community in the interest of the
Assumption Seminary student body in areas of academics;
applies collaborative efforts to achieve any needed
changes;
and gives input to the Assumption representative on the
Academic Affairs Committee at Oblate School of Theology.
Justice and Peace Committee
The purpose of the Justice and Peace Committee is to enable the growth and development of
collaborative pastoral leaders committed to the service of the People of God in the area
of social justice. Faithful to the mission of Christ as expressed in the gospels, social
encyclicals and the teachings of the church, the committee works to bring about the gospel
realization of justice and peace in the lives of the community as well as the lives of
others.
The Justice and Peace Committee:
leads the seminary community to an awareness of issues
affecting the lives of sisters and brothers locally, nationally and worldwide;
and works to make gospel values visible through education,
reflection upon life experiences, public presence, community support and systematic
change.
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Formation Advisor
In order to ensure the integration of the many components of the seminary program, each
student is assigned a faculty member to serve as his formation advisor. The student,
together with the advisor, annually determines the goals for his personal growth plan in
the areas of spiritual, liturgical, relational, vocational, academic, pastoral and
cultural formation. The personal growth plan is a significant tool in the student's
mid-year and annual evaluation.
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Evaluation
Evaluation, a lifetime tool for growth, takes place every day of the year. As part of the
formation process, it helps each student increase self-knowledge and define his direction
of growth.
The spirit and attitude with which evaluation is approached is critical to the entire
process. Assumption Seminary strives to create an environment of trust and confidence in
order to review and reflect upon chosen priorities. The process is designed to assist the
seminarian examine his vocational discernment, professional and academic competence,
spirituality and personality. Strengths and weaknesses are analyzed to determine areas of
needed growth.
The evaluation process involves self-evaluation, peer evaluation, evaluation by the
faculty at Oblate School of Theology, the field education supervisor's evaluation and that
of the formation faculty. The final evaluation, collated by the advisor, focuses on the
goals that the student set for himself at the beginning of the year.
Assumption Seminary's formal process of evaluation examines not only the individual
students, but also the programs and formation team.
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Reception of Ministries and Orders
A seminarian may petition the faculty for institution in
the Ministry of Lector once he:
is witness to a love of the Word of God;
demonstrates the ability to proclaim the Word of God in the
liturgical assembly;
and is prepared to instruct the faithful for the reception
of the sacraments.
This usually occurs during the first semester of I
Theology.
During II theology, petition may be made to the Ministry of Acolyte in order to assist
deacons and priest. The candidate must:
witness to a love of the Lord through daily participation
in the Eucharistic celebration;
demonstrate the ability to serve at the altar and to
distribute communion to the faithful;
and manifest a special love for the sick and weak members
of the Body of Christ.
The rite of admission to Candidacy is celebrated in the
spring of III Theology based on:
the call of the person to formally enroll as a candidate
for ordination;
the acceptance and confirmation of that call by those
responsible for the formation process;
and a growing competence as a pastoral minister.
The Ordination of the Diaconate takes place during the
first semester of the final year of theological studies based on:
demonstrated proficiency in homilies;
knowledge of the Liturgy of Hours;
familiarity with the diaconate role in the Eucharistic
celebration of the Mass, as well as communion and viaticum to the sick, and expositions;
the ability to perform baptisms and burials;
and proficiency in Spanish and English.
Following the completion of all academic and intern
requirements, Assumption Seminary recommends a student for the Order of Presbyterate.
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Related Institutions
Mexican American Cultural Center
The Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) shares the campus with Assumption Seminary.
Founded in 1972, MACC is a national institute for the preparation of Catholic leaders to
respond to the religious and social needs of Hispanic communities. The institute furthers
the dialogue between faith and culture by providing communal, integrative experiences in
theology, pastoral ministry, the Spanish language and the study and research of the
Hispanic reality.
Assumption Seminary utilizes the language program at MACC in the formation of its own
students. Outside speakers brought in by the institute provide further insight into the
Spanish-speaking apostolate. Seminarians are encouraged to interact with the student body
of MACC, which hails from a broad area of the hemisphere and includes members with diverse
pastoral experiences.
In an effort to bridge the cultural, linguistic and formational experience of students
coming to San Antonio from other seminary communities, M.A.C.C. and Assumption Seminary
have created a program of education and formation for seminarians to allow them to
participate as fully as possible in the seminary formation community while attending
language and/or cultural classes at M.A.C.C.
The Josephine Sisters
Founded by Father Jose Vilasaca, the Josephine Sisters serve schools, health-care
institutions, nurseries, orphanages, retirement homes, missions and seminaries in the
United States and Italy, as well as in Central America and Africa. The Josephine Sisters'
close relationship with Assumption can be traced to the early days of St. John's following
the sisters' flight from Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. Ever since that time, the
Josephine Sisters have attended to the preparation of meals for the seminarians and have
been an integral part of the seminary community.
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Admission Requirements
Applicants to Assumption Seminary must have a completed
application form with all the necessary documentation.
The current application and schedule of tuition and fees are printed separately. To obtain
information concerning application for grants and scholarships, contact the Rector or
Business Manager at Assumption Seminary.
Assumption Seminary
Seminario de la Asuncion
2600 West Woodlawn
San Antonio, Texas 78228
Telephone: 210/734-5137
FAX: 210/734-2324
Application to Oblate School of Theology is made directly:
Oblate School of Theology
285 Oblate Drive
San Antonio, Texas 78216-6693
Telephone: 210/341-1366
FAX: 210/341-4519
Additional addresses that might be of value to interested
applicants include:
Mexican American Cultural Center
3019 West French Place
San Antonio, Texas 78228
Telephone: 210/732-2156
Toll Free: 800/368-5445
FAX: 210/732-9072
Our Lady of the Lake University
411 SW 24th Street
San Antonio, Texas 78207-4689
Telephone: 210/434-6711
St. Mary's University
One Camino Santa Maria
San Antonio, Texas 78228-8516
Telephone: 210/436-3011
University of the Incarnate Word
4301 Broadway
San Antonio, Texas 78209-6397
Telephone: 210/829-6005
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Distinguished Alumni
Martyr
Father Stanley Rother
Distinguished
Bishop Gerald R. Barnes
Bishop Laurence FitzSimon
Bishop Mariano Garriga
Bishop Hugo Gerbermann
Bishop Charles Herzig
Bishop Sidney M. Metzger
Bishop John L. Morkovsky
Bishop Raymundo J. Pena
Bishop Bernard F. Popp
Bishop Michael J. Sheehan
Bishop John W. Yanta
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Board of Directors
Executive Director
Most Reverend Patrick F. Flores, DD
Archbishop of San Antonio
Chairperson
Very Rev. David Garcia
Presbyteral Council
Vice-Chairperson
Sr. Christine Stephens, CDP
Dallas Area Interfaith
Treasurer
Mr. Michael Belz
President
Catholic Life Insurance Union
Secretary
Most Rev. Michael D. Pfeifer, OMI
Bishop of San Angelo
Ms. Chris Alderete
Archdiocesan Pastoral Council
Mrs. Yolanda Arellano
Executive Director
San Antonio Restaurant Association
Very Rev. Eugene Canas, OMI Provincial
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Rev. Fernando Cortez
Director of Vocations
Oakland, California
Very Rev. David R. Cruz
Rector-President
Assumption Seminary
Mr. Ronaldo M. Cruz
Director
Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs
Most Rev. Joseph P. Delaney
Bishop of Fort Worth
Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. Flanagan
Presbyteral
Very Rev. Msgr. John Flynn
Pastor
St. Matthew's Parish
Fernando A. Guerra, MD, MPH
Director of Health
Metropolitan Health District
Rev. Tim Luschen
Pastor
Prince of Peace Parish
Mr. James McLaughlin
Member Emeritus
Very Rev. Arturo Meza
Rector
Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary
Honorable Andy Mireles
San Antonio District Judge
Rev. Msgr. Patrick Murray
Chancellor/Judicial Vicar
Archdiocese of San Antonio
Mr. Edward Speed
Senior V.P.
San Antonio Federal Credit Union
Very Rev. Msgr. Lawrence J. Stuebben
Vicar General
Archdiocese of San Antonio
Sr. Ann Umscheid, CDP
Region 12, LCWR
Rev. Carlos Velazquez
Vocation Director
Archdiocese of San Antonio
Mrs. Marcia Welch
The Metro Alliance
Most Rev. John Yanta
Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio
Gloria Zamora, Ph.D.
Education Consultant
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San Antonio
Spanish padres founded the first mission - San Antonio de
Valero - in the area in 1718. This mission, soon transferred to a location on the banks of
the San Antonio River, later became known as the Alamo. Four other missions were built
along the river utilizing the priests knowledge of architecture and the strength of the
natives, who probably had never even dreamed of such massive stone structures.
While the churches provided shelter and water from a system of acequias, artistry was not
forgotten in their creation. In a turn-of-the-century guide to San Antonio, William Corner
wrote: "The front of the Mission Conception must have been very gorgeous with color,
for it was frescoed all over with red and blue quatrefoil crosses of different pattern and
with large yellow and orange squares to simulate great dressed stones." The Alamo is
now in the middle of downtown, and the string of missions, some of which remain active
parishes, are now incorporated into the national system of parks.
The first settlement in Texas not composed of soldiers or missionaries was Villa San
Fernando, founded by 55 Canary Islanders in 1731. The King of Spain donated 5,000 pesos
toward the construction of a church, and the government sped up the fund-raising process
by sentencing all who disobeyed an order or broke any laws to work on the church. Finally
in 1749, San Fernando Church was blessed, making it the oldest parish church in Texas.
Located on Main Plaza, San Fernando Cathedral is regarded as the geographical center of
San Antonio.
Located in the heart of South Texas, San Antonio is now the ninth largest city in the
country. More than 50 percent of the population carry Spanish surnames. While the city is
large, it has the good fortune of having a vital and active downtown with the San Antonio
River meandering through it and attracting 2,000,000 visitors each year.
The city has retained much of the colorful flavor of its past, with each wave of
immigrants contributing to its character. It is a city constantly celebrating both its
heritage and diversity with one festival after another - from the 10-day Fiesta San
Antonio, to the Texas Folklife Festival, to Diez-y-Seis de Septiembre to the shimmering
River Walk Holiday Festival.
San Antonio serves as as ideal studio in which seminarians can grow to become
collaborative and culturally sensitive pastoral leaders.
