Sacred Heart sets record with January’s new enrollment

Welcoming 11 new future priests, Sacred Heart School of Theology has set a record for January new student enrollment. The additions bring the Franklin seminary’s total to about 100 priests in training.

“We’re encouraged to see that our reputation as the top American seminary for men over 30 is reflected in continuing robust enrollment,” said the Very Rev. Jan de Jong, SCJ, Sacred Heart president-rector.

Three of the new students are coming from new sponsors: the Diocese of Fairbanks; the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (or Pallottines); and the Benedictines of Marmion Abbey in Illinois. These additions bring the number of Sacred Heart sponsors to 38.

In addition to its core mission of serving older men, Sacred Heart provides the academic program for seminarians of all ages from the Milwaukee archdiocese.

Three of the new seminarians are coming for Sacred Heart’s renowned English-as-a-Second-Language Program, which draws dozens of priests, brothers and seminarians from around the world each year.

Sacred Heart is also adding three students to its Master of Arts (M.A.) Program this month. The M.A. Program is open to lay men and women.

Sacred Heart is the largest Catholic seminary focused on men over 30 in the United States. Most of the seminarians live at the school. Those whose sponsors have formation houses in the Milwaukee area may commute to Sacred Heart for classes and other formation activities.

Sacred Heart is an apostolate of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, an international religious order with its U.S. Province based in Hales Corners, Wis. For more information on Sacred Heart see www.shst.edu.