College Seminary

An experience of a lifetime.

Have questions about college seminary?  This page includes pictures and information from current and previous college seminarians.  See what they have to say about their seminary experience.

Men accepted to seminary for the Archdiocese of Denver who have just graduated from high school will attend college seminary to one of two seminaries.  For more information about these seminaries visit their websites:

After looking over these frequently asked questions about college seminary, if you have what it takes to go to College Seminary come attend one of our RAD retreats or email Fr. Jim

How was going to college seminary beneficial for you?

Joe O

College Seminary changed my habits. In our culture, it’s a near-trend for young guys to be lazy and apathetic. Seminary helped me get away from that. I am more disciplined, and that’s made me freer. I’m more productive, my relationships are healthier, and I’ve managed to get into pretty decent shape. In general, guys here would agree that this place makes you more masculine. Seminary also brought me a great deal of healing, especially within spiritual direction. When I thought I had already gone deep enough in the spiritual life with my spiritual director, Christ only wanted to take me deeper, and deeper still, to keep healing me. This also helped form my masculinity. I’m less afraid, more alive, and what sets me free the most is that I know Jesus Christ knows me, likes me, and loves me.

Joe O'Sullivan College Seminarian 2009-2011
Nick Larkin
College seminary introduced me for the first time into Christian brotherhood and community. It’s tough to live in community and often times romanticized in our heads with thoughts like “Oh wouldn’t it be great to join the Dominicans and live together” but the truth is that we often see each other’s virtues and vices and brothers get under our skin. But in this whole process I grew in self-knowledge and in the school of charity and patience, realizing my own weaknesses and strengths and accepting my brothers as well. For the first time I had a real structured life of prayer, study and leisure with my friends. In that process I began to find healing and solace in Sacred Heart of Jesus and in the Father’s love for me, growing in and my identity as a beloved Son of the Father in the Son.
Nick Larkin College Seminarian 2008-2010
Mason Fraley
I didn’t realize the benefits until after can back home. They say that “grace builds on nature,” and this has become very clear to me, especially regarding my experience at college seminary. Coming out of high school, there was a lot of purification that needed to take place. We’re always focused on our spiritual life and perpetually ready to go deeper there, and rightly so. But I think that sometimes we forget all about our humanity. We’re men not angels, which means that there’s an intensely intimate connection between what goes on in us psychologically and emotionally, and what goes on spiritually. You can’t expect to have a deep relationship with anybody, -much less God- if your humanity is in ruins. First, there is the hard work of rooting out the obvious habits of sin (and this is possible, though it may sometimes seem like it’s not). When we’ve made progress there, then the real action can begin: no longer a fight against vice, but positive growth in virtue. It is the pure of heart who see God. Our vision is blinded and we are deaf to the action and presence of God if we’re torn in every direction. And if we can’t see and hear God, then our “discernment” becomes at best thumb-twiddling, and at worst a self-delusion. We must have pure hearts to discern a vocation, especially one to the holy Priesthood, and this purity comes by combat: against the world, the flesh and the devil. I say all this because I believe that human formation is the primary focus of college seminary, and Jack Jr. does a great job at it. Surrounded by brothers with the same vision, and guided by wise and holy priests, I was introduced to the combat and given the tools to continue ahead with confidence. The process is of course not easy, but it is a necessary one to becoming a man and a priest “of Christ, of the Church, and for others.”
Mason Fraley College Seminarian 2006-2008

 

What does a day in the life of a
college seminarian look like?

Kevin Burnett
Wake up and get ready in time for 6:15am prayer time followed by 7:15am mass throughout the school week. Go to classes at the University of St. Thomas along with the regular students. Catch some lunch with some of the guys at the Cafeteria, which is surprisingly not that bad. Maybe go to a few more classes. Join together with the rest of the seminary for evening prayer at 5:00. Go to dinner to eat more food. Study Hours from 6:45-8:15 (you will really appreciate this time). Hangout with some of the bros. (Get some sleep so you won’t be dozing during prayer at 6:15am the next morning!). This is the general schedule. Obviously weekends are more lenient if you would want to spend some stipend money and go to a movie or baseball game in downtown Minneapolis.
Kevin Burnett College Seminarian 2009-2011
Matt Magee

We began every day with Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament and then the celebration of Mass (though I am sure the structure/times have changed since I was up there). Following breakfast, we would have class with non-seminarians at the University. After a day of studies, we would have Evening Prayer followed by community activities.

Matt Magee College Seminarian 2007-2008

Hanging out with Diocesan brothers

Hanging out with Diocesan brothers

Daniel Eusterman

Every morning started with an hour of prayer and Mass. The only way to start the day. Then all the seminarians moved off in large packs to breakfast at the University’s cafeteria. After breakfast started our “work day”. Until late afternoon we were expected to be in class, doing homework, or something formative (reading, sports, exercise, napping!). The daytime was a time for work and the evening was a time for rest and rejuvenation. Three evenings each week we had different fraternity meetings aimed to have fun and grow close to your Diocesan brothers and brothers on your floor. The day was concluded with Night Prayer. The structure of seminary was sometimes hard for men who wanted to go about seminary doing only what they wanted or thought was right for them. When you trust that God’s hand works through the seminary and you give yourself to it, it becomes a place to flourish as a man in Christ, a man for the Church, and a man for others. An alter Christus.

Daniel Eusterman College Seminarian 2008-2010

 

What was something that surprised you about
college seminary?

Joe O

I was surprised by how active guys are. Sports are very popular here. We have a basketball and ice-hockey league formed by seminarians, and we finish the year with a seminary-wide waffle-ball tournament. There’s also a big racquetball tournament. Besides the formalized leagues, you can usually find anyone to play just about anything. In general, there’s just a lot of energy and life here. I was also blown away by how joyful the environment is here. It’s positive, and it’s a safe place to be a normal, healthy person without trying to meet the unfair demands of the culture. People may think me strange for joining a seminary, but I’m also really happy—how do they account for that? To steal the title of a C.S. Lewis book, I was “Surprised by Joy.”

Joe O'Sullivan College Seminarian 2009-2011

 

Ski Trip with fellow College Seminarians

Ski Trip with fellow College Seminarians

Seminarian playing air guitar on the UST homecoming parade

Seminarian playing air guitar on the UST homecoming parade

Mason Fraley

I think I can say with confidence that whatever your expectations, dreams or visions of seminary are, they’re probably wrong, or pretty inaccurate. It’s not heaven, and it’s not hell on earth. It’s a place where a bunch of men have been joined together to try to listen to God. What we’re doing is unusual by the world’s standards, but seminarians are just normal guys. We don’t levitate much; we don’t spend hours locked in a closet with the Blessed Sacrament. We have hobbies, we like having fun. This is what surprised me: that my expectations were mistaken.

Mason Fraley College Seminarian 2006-2008

 

What was it like to be a seminarian on a
typical college campus?

Joe O

It’s good to be with other students. You see the need for the gospel right in front of you, as opposed to being removed from the need, having to guess or make assumptions about how the world, and our generation, is struggling. As of this coming year, a lot of the seminarians will be teaching students on campus as part of their “apostolic outreach” assignments (they’ll teach Apologetics and Theology of the Body)—so study up and you may be able to teach on campus. It’s worth noting that there are a lot of Catholic students around, so it’s easy to connect with people outside the seminary. Catholic presence here is pretty substantial.

It’s also convenient to have all the resources available to you that a normal college offers: dining options, athletic centers (pool, racquetball courts, indoor/outdoor track, weight room, basketball courts, etc.), campus events, free concerts, etc.

Joe O'Sullivan College Seminarian 2009-2011

Joe O'Sullivan takes a study break to hit the slopes

Joe O'Sullivan takes a study break to hit the slopes

Mason Fraley

For me, it was a bit of a trial by fire. Set right in the middle of what I’m giving up (“fun and a family”) to follow the call of God was difficult and sometimes frustrating, but I guess it’s not much of a sacrifice if you don’t know what you’re sacrificing. Also, my understanding was a little skewed: pursuing the priesthood is definitely not boring, and the type of family is just different. I think I grew in understanding that.

Finally, to put it bluntly: though UST is definitely very nice, being on a college campus – you see why the world needs Jesus.

Mason Fraley College Seminarian 2006-2008
Nick Larkin

Being on a typical college campus was a great transition from high school and provided an opportunity of evangelization, as well as, a broader experience in community life. As with all colleges, even great Catholic Universities, there are the rebels, and the party life. Yet being a seminarian with the opportunity to meet friends in class and on campus and bring the light of the Gospel into their lives is an amazing experience that only strengthened my desire for the priesthood and the mission it entails.

Nick Larkin College Seminarian 2008-2010

 

What was your favorite thing about college seminary?

Kevin Burnett

My favorite thing about college seminary is that the crew of guys up here is really solid. Living the seminary life definitely has its challenges but these challenges enhance the depth of brotherhood among the guys. We rejoice with one and other when there is cause for rejoicing and we support one and other when times are tough. The level of brotherhood that is here is unparalleled to any other college experience!

Kevin Burnett College Seminarian 2009-2011
Daniel Eusterman

College seminary was the first place I encountered virtuous friendships. The seminary was focused on forming men humanly to be real men. This was done through the formation staff and especially through my brother seminarians.

Daniel Eusterman College Seminarian 2008-2010
Matt Magee

My favorite part about college seminary was having the opportunity to go to daily Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Mass every day with a group of 150+ other men who were discerning the Priesthood with me. It gave me much hope for the future of the Church and for my own vocation. When friendships and fraternities are centered around Christ, it leads to a greater love of Him and more holy lives.

Matt Magee College Seminarian 2007-2008
College Seminarian procession with Our Blessed Mother

College Seminarian procession with Our Blessed Mother

 

Do you have what it takes to go to College Seminary??

Come to our RAD retreats or email Fr. Jim