Teaching Parish Program

Seminarians participate in the Teaching Parish Program as part of the four-year Master of Divinity program.  Each student is placed in a local parish community to gain supervised ministry experience that is concurrent and integrated with the academic, human, and spiritual aspects of formation.  Students from adjoining dioceses are placed in their diocesan parishes whenever possible. 

Each seminarian works closely with a supervisor experienced in ministry and a committee of parishioners to design a plan for ministerial experience that will prepare him for serving as an ordained pastoral minister at the conclusion of the four-year formation program.  The focus of a student’s pastoral experience each semester is coordinated with other aspects of the program.  Through the program, each student develops competencies essential to the role of presbyter and pastor, practices those skills with supervision, receives valuable feedback, reflects theologically on his experiences, and identifies his gifts for service and leadership in the Church.

The Saint Paul Seminary also works with dioceses that prefer that their seminarians take a full pastoral year to design an experience that achieves the aims of the diocese and the overall goals of the Teaching Parish Program.