Saint James Theological Seminary
28 Main St.
New Millport, PA 16861
Seminary Corresponding
Seminary Mission
The mission of Saint James Theological Seminary is the formation of men for the Priesthood of Jesus Christ into Palestinian Orthodox Church Archdiocese Of Pennsylvania in the service of the Kingdom of God.
Saint James Theological Seminary aims to establish a foundation within the seminarians for a lifetime of priestly ministry within the Palestinian Orthodox Church.
This foundation is an intimate relationship with God the Father in Jesus Christ His Son through the Holy Spirit, a relationship nourished by Scripture and Tradition, celebrated in the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and marked by a sincere devotion to Mary, the Mother of God and Mother of the Church.
Through the interrelated components of priestly formation—human, spiritual, intellectual, pastoral—the Seminary strives to train men, called as priests to be living images of Jesus Christ, to become more like Christ the Good Shepherd, men of deep humility and genuine pastoral charity.
The Seminary prepares the seminarians to share in a special way in the three-fold office of Christ: teaching the Gospel, celebrating the divine mysteries, and shepherding God’s people.
In its deep communion with the whole Church and its f
idelity to Church teaching, Saint James Seminary prepares its future priests to be men of ecclesial communion, united by special bonds with the Archbishop of this Church and the College of Bishops.
How does one prepare for ordination to the priesthood?
A man has to engage in a challenging program of priestly formation which lasts from five to thirteen years, depending upon his background and the seminary he attends.
There are three levels of seminary: high school; college or pre-theology; and theology. Seminaries address four types of formation: human; spiritual; academic (intellectual); and pastoral.
In addition to the academic course work, seminarians participate in a full schedule of spiritual activities, e.g., daily Divine Liturgy, (Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer), and spiritual direction and retreats.
At each level of seminary training, the seminarian prepares for future pastoral ministry in various settings, such as schools, religious education programs, hospitals and parishes.
All of the formation takes into consideration the human person; human growth and development is fostered by community living, workshops and other programs. The formation of future priests includes practical learning, too, for example, preaching, saying Mass, and pastoral counseling.
If you wish to receive our application please fill out the information below and our Seminary Staff will email you an application. All Applicants must be a member of this Church for one (1) year in good standing according to the Canon Law of this Church.
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Please read on our website page on Becoming a Deacon or a Priest
for more information.
