Our Seminary
Feb 12th, 2007 by admin
Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West is the theological training center for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. As the oldest section of the Athenaeum of Ohio, its role is in training priests to serve the Archdiocese, as well as client diocese from across the Midwest.
The third oldest seminary in existence in the United States, it takes its name from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland; where our founding bishop, Edward Fenwick, attended seminary.
Currently counting over 50 bishops among her alumni, as well as several thousands of priests who have served not only throughout Ohio, but around the world.
Since it’s foundation in Downtown Cincinnati, the seminary has had a number of locations. After a brief location in Price Hill in the 1800’s, Mount St. Mary’s was known as ‘The Rock’ during her time in Norwood, off of Montgomery Ave., from the 1920’s to 1981. That building still stands, rechristened as Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center.
Because of the building falling into disrepair, the Mount relocated to its present location in Mount Washington in 1981, taking over the vacated premises of St. Gregory’s Prepatory Seminary, which had closed the previous year.
The building is currently home to 36 seminarians, 10 priest faculty members, one retired priest, and the Auxilliary Bishop of Cincinnati, Carl Moeddel. There are 44 renovated suites for seminarian residence, the Main Chapel dedicated to St. Gregory the Great, Immaculate Conception Chapel, Fr. Eugene Maly Memorial Library, full dining facilities, the Bartlett Pastoral Center, Seminary Student Store, and 10 classrooms among her facilities.
For information about enrollment at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary as a candidate for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, please contact Fr. Kyle Schnippel at the Vocation Office, 513-421-3131.