• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
While many seminaries around the country have struggled to attract students in recent years, Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg is bursting at the seams.

Emmitsburg seminary boasts record number of new students

October 8, 1999
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Local News, News, Vocations, Western Vicariate

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

EMMITSBURG — While many seminaries around the country have struggled to attract students in recent years, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg is bursting at the seams.

The seminary in rural Maryland has grown so popular that a record number of new students has begun classes there this year, bringing the seminarians enrolled there to the highest level in more than a decade.

There are currently 164 men in formation for the priesthood at the Mount, as locals call it; 57 of them are new this year.

Most of the newcomers are members of the first-year class or are pre-theologians completing the church’s undergraduate academic requirements. The total number of new men and the number in pre-theology are both at all-time highs.

In all, the seminary has enrolled 36 fourth-year men, 28 in the third-year program, 31 in second year, 41 in first year and 28 in pre-theology. Nine are from the Baltimore Archdiocese, in which the seminary is located.

The school is currently constructing a $3.8 million hall to add 46 seminarian rooms. The hall will relieve overcrowding and increase capacity to about 170. But even then, seminary leaders anticipate that the institution will fill up immediately.

Why this flood in the midst of a 30-year national seminarian drought that has only recently started to turn around?

Father Kevin Rhoades, the seminary’s rector, cites a balanced program focused on the spiritual, academic and pastoral formation of priests; increased training for Hispanic ministry; and a growing reputation for academic excellence. But what is really putting the Mount on the map is its reputation for shaping “holy men” for the priesthood, he said.

“People are hungry for holy priests,” Father Rhoades said. “The bishops sense that. They’re sending their men to our seminary because we put Christ at the center of the community.”

Seminarians at the Mount are required to attend daily Mass. The Mount is also one of the few U.S. seminaries to require students to attend a daily holy hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

Pre-theology student Louis Bianco, a 24-year-old parishioner at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore, loves the focus on prayer.

“Just sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament, putting all your fears, joys and concerns before the Lord really helps in the discernment process,” he said.

Father Rhoades said another attraction to Mount St. Mary’s for many bishops and vocation directors is the school’s commitment to the church’s magisterium.

This year, some 22 dioceses and archdioceses and one religious community are represented among the new seminarians. More than 20 percent of the new seminarians were born outside the United States.

“Bishops have a lot of confidence in the formation their priests receive here,” said Father Rhoades. “We don’t have to recruit. It really is a blessing.”

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

Copyright © 1999 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

George P. Matysek Jr.

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary

  • Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

  • Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

  • A butterfly lands on a flowering bush with purple blossoms A Miracle for a Baby in Rhode Island (and for all of us)

| Latest Local News |

Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9

Driver arrested after crashing into entrance of Esperanza Center

Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

| Latest World News |

Warsaw archbishop ‘devastated, crushed’ by priest’s arrest in brutal murder of homeless man

Jubilee of Youth chance to celebrate hope, fraternity in world at war, panel says

New York archdiocese sees hundreds of responses to ‘Called By Name’ program

Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options

Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Warsaw archbishop ‘devastated, crushed’ by priest’s arrest in brutal murder of homeless man
  • Jubilee of Youth chance to celebrate hope, fraternity in world at war, panel says
  • New York archdiocese sees hundreds of responses to ‘Called By Name’ program
  • Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options
  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary
  • LA archbishop, joined by business leaders, starts fund to help families affected by ICE raids
  • FBI surveilled SSPX priest amid probe of suspected neo-Nazi’s plans for violence
  • Poland’s ‘living memorial’ to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives
  • Our faith is not afraid of questions

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en