Saint John Paul II seminarians are enrolled as students at The Catholic University of America and are an important part of the university community. Catholic University was founded by the Catholic bishops of the United States, with a charter from then Pope Leo XIII, to be the national university of the Catholic Church in America. The campus is situated in the heart of Northeast Washington, DC, a short train ride to the center of the city. With just under 3000 students, Catholic University is ideal for students who seek personalized instruction, with the student to faculty ratio being 10:1.
Seminarians at St. John Paul II Seminary typically major in Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at the Catholic University of America. The Ph.B. is an ecclesiastical degree with guidelines put forth by the Holy See, specifically in Pope Francis' Apostolic Constitution Veritatis Gaudium's "On Ecclesiastical Universities and Faculties." After completing the Propaedeutic Year, major coursework in Philosophy and Language begins the second year of undergraduate formation. If an applicant has already completed their undergraduate degree and the Propaedeutic Year, then a Certificate in Pre-Theology Studies would be pursued.
All undergraduate students complete the Liberal Arts Curriculum as the core of their studies at Catholic University.
“All human beings by nature desire to know.” These words, which Aristotle wrote in the 4th century B.C. (Metaphysics, 1.1), capture the fact that there is a deeply rooted desire in all of us to learn something about the world, to understand reality, and to find our place in it. Why? This is just who we are. To desire to know means to desire to be human, and the more we embrace the quest for understanding and truth, the more human we become.
Catholic liberal arts education, to use the words of the Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities Ex Corde Ecclesiae, wishes to “enable students to acquire an organic vision of reality and to develop a continuing desire for intellectual progress” (20). As such, it is dedicated not primarily to “the acquisition of useful knowledge,” but rather to “free search for the whole truth about nature, the human person, and God” (4), which corresponds with the mission of a Catholic university as a whole. Liberal arts education, however, is not opposed to professional training, it rather complements it in the pursuit of “excellence in humanistic and cultural development” and a life-long “search for truth and for meaning” (23).
Metaphysics - (philosophy of being and natural theology)
Philosophy of Nature
Philosophy of Man
Moral Philosophy
Political Philosophy
Logic
Philosophy of Knowledge
Ancient Philosophy
Medieval Philosophy
Modern Philosophy
Contemporary Philosophy
Reason and Christian Faith
Latin
Modern Language (other than mother tongue)
Introduction to the Methodology of Study and Research
Principles of literature/arts; of human sciences/natural sciences
Optional Philosophical Disciplines
Seminarians are encouraged to be actively involved in campus life. While making their priority, seminary life, formation activities, and academic coursework their top priorities, there is generally time to take part in the many exciting activities offered on campus. In fact, current students take part in intramural flag football, basketball, soccer, and various Campus Ministry Activities