ACADEMIC NEWS
PRIEST-STUDENTS ENJOY
“ ONE-OF-A-KIND”
SUMMER SESSION
Blended format STL program reaches highest enrollment in its fourth year.
T he work of preparing and supporting“ missionary disciples” for the new evangelization( Pope Francis) continues during the summer months at Sacred Heart.
Forty-five priest-students have recently concluded a five-week summer session, which ended on August 11. The men are studying to earn the Licentiate in Sacred Theology post-graduate degree( STL). Sacred Heart offers a unique“ blended” format: a portion of the courses are taken online with a required summer residency for four years.
The summer term is academically challenging— the priests take four courses in two mini-sessions of two-and-one-half weeks each, for a total of five weeks of study. The forty-five priests come to the seminary from seven countries, thirty-two dioceses, and nine religious communities.
They comprise the largest collection of STL students of any Catholic university outside of Rome.
Full Cohort
The 2017 summer roster of priests was all-inclusive, made up of men who began their STL studies four years ago— in 2014, the inaugural year of the blended format( cohort one)— along with those who began three years ago( cohort two), and two years ago( cohort three). They were joined this summer by a“ rookie” class: priests who have enrolled just this year and are attending their first summer session( cohort four).
“ This summer was significant for the seminary and our STL summer / online program,” says Fr. Timothy Laboe, Sacred Heart’ s dean of studies( Class of 2009).“ Not only was it the first summer that we have a full four cohorts of priests, but also our first cohort will be taking their last summer term for their STL degrees.
“ Graduates of the program will be pioneering new ways for the Church to educate her leaders to carry out her mission. The presence of such good priests from around the country and the world,” Father Laboe says,“ have made the past four summers at the seminary very vibrant.”
Sacred Heart’ s rector, Msgr. Todd Lajiness, calls the STL a“ one-of-a-kind” opportunity, as it combines“ deep theological and spiritual exploration together with practical application.” At the same time, he says, the summer session is a time of
26 Sacred Heart Major Seminary | Mosaic | Fall 2017