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801 West Cobbs Creek Parkway, Yeadon, Pennsylvania 19050, United States
REDEMPTORIS MATER SEMINARIES
History of RM Seminaries
Vocations are not only for the sake of the one who is called but are in function of the Church as a whole. From the growing work of the evangelization done by the various mission families a need soon arose for priests who may serve these new communities, the families, and may themselves help sustain and carry out the evangelization; considering those newly faithful would one day constitute the new parishes.
Within this context the Redemptoris Mater Seminary was born: thanks to the courage of John Paul II and the prophetic vision of the Second Vatican Council.
The Redemptoris Mater Seminaries are a very important fruit of the conciliar renewal. A reality which presents itself willing to accept the churches missionary needs:
“Priests, therefore, should recall that the solicitude of all the churches ought to be their intimate concern. . . For this purpose there can with advantages be set up some international Seminaries. . . for the good of the whole Church.” (Presbyterorum Ordinis, n.10)
Above: Vatican Garden July 3, 1983: Pope St. John Paul II celebrates the Eucharist with 400 youth of the Neocatechumenal Way who are preparing to join the seminary.
Redemptoris Mater seminaries are not seminaries ‘of the Neocatechumenal Way’, rather, as the Statutes say, they are true diocesan seminaries which depend on the Bishop.
Experience has shown that combining presbyteral training with an itinerary of initiation into Christian life, such as the Neocatechumenal Way, constitutes an immense aid for the candidate’s maturity in faith, as well as human formation.
Those young men who have felt the call and stood up during a vocational meeting, spend a time of discernment attending small ‘vocational centers’. Once they are ready to enter into a seminary, their catechists (older brothers in the faith who guide them along the Christian itinerary) invite them to a retreat, or ‘convivence’, at the international center of The Servant of Yahweh in Porto San Giorgio, Italy. It is beautiful to witness and assist the miracle of seeing youth disposed to detach themselves from everything and go on mission in any part of the world, wherever the Holy Spirit sends them.
Today there are more than 100 Redemptoris Mater Seminaries throughout the world in 5 continents, 10 of which are in the United States.
The first RMS was opened in Rome in 1988; Newark was the first in the USA , 1990.
The Redemptoris Mater of Philadelphia was established in 2013.