A Brief History of the St Paul Seminary

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1890 James J. Hill funds the building of the St. Paul Seminary.

James J. Hill, right, gave Archbishop John Ireland $500,000 to build a new seminary. Hill was inspired by his wife, Mary, to aid the Catholic Church. Photo courtesy of St. Paul Seminary

1894 St. Paul Seminary opens with 65 men moving into the residence halls to study for six years.

1905 St. Mary’s Chapel is consecrated.

1917 Fulton Sheen studies at the seminary for the Diocese of Peoria, Ill. After being ordained a priest in 1919, he became known for his national radio broadcast, “The Catholic Hour.” He was consecrated a bishop in 1951, and in 1969 Pope Paul VI appointed him Archbishop of the Titular See of Newport.

Archbishop Sheen

1951 Msgr. Jerome Quinn, an internationally acclaimed Scripture scholar, was ordained. He was appointed by Pope Paul VI to the Pontifical Biblical Commission and was involved for 17 years in the Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue. He taught at the seminary for 26 years.

1957 Annual cost for room, board and tuition per seminarian is $700; 32 candidates applied in May for admission to the seminary.

Sister Sharon

1980s Seminary establishes graduate program for laity. Sister Sharon Howell, University of St. Thomas assistant dean of students, is among the graduates.

1980 Father Michael Joncas, well-known composer and scholar, completes studies and is ordained for the archdiocese.

1987 Seminary affiliates with then-College of St. Thomas, now University of St. Thomas; School of Divinity established.

Father Snyder

1988 Father Larry Snyder, now president of Catholic Charities USA, completes studies and is ordained for the archdiocese.

1989 Seminary residence and administrative building connecting to St. Mary’s Chapel constructed.

2003 Gordon DeMarais, founder of St. Paul’s Outreach, an evangelistic and catechetical lay ministry, earns graduate degree from St. Paul Seminary.

Students still gather in St. Mary’s Chapel for Mass. Photo courtesy of St. Paul Seminary

2008 Annual cost for room, board and tuition is $50,000 per year for each of the 67 men now in formation at the St. Paul Seminary for its formation program.

Sources: St. Paul Seminary, The Catholic Spirit, Msgr. William Baumgaertner