In 1912 Bishop Patrick Heffron made his dream of a Catholic college in Winona, Minnesota a reality. That reality of Saint Mary’s College began as a high school and junior college for a few young men of the area, united with a special training program for those discerning a vocation to the priesthood. Since then Saint Mary’s has grown into a fully accredited co-educational, liberal arts university.
It was a later dream of Bishop Leo Binz that sparked the initiation of a canonical seminary in conjunction with Saint Mary’s College. In 1948, this dream also became a reality as Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary was erected within the framework of the college campus. In 1950 construction of a separate residence was completed under Bishop Edward Fitzgerald. The registration for the first year of the new seminary was twenty-five. Though Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary is an integral part of Saint Mary’s University, it is a unique community within itself. It is a human and spiritual community where Christian charity unites seminarians of varied talents and temperaments, backgrounds and abilities. Many different prayer experiences and devotions centered in the Eucharist form the source and summit of the community’s unity and communion in the Lord. It is the goal of the seminary community to embrace this spiritual dimension and hold it at the heart of its existence. Immaculate Heart of Mary is also a community dedicated to Christian service outside its own walls. The seminarians are active in apostolic works in the grade schools and nursing homes, as well as in facilities and residences of the poor and needy of the community. This apostolic experience brings the seminarian into contact with a variety of God’s people and shows them it is in giving that one begins to truly live the Gospel message and life at is deepest level. As a community committed to academic and priestly formation, seminarians also enrich their lives with wholesome recreation, exercise and leisure. The campus and greater community provide adequate resources for these endeavors. There are over one thousand alumni of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, with better than a one-third being ordained to the priesthood. For those that have been a part of the community it has been an unforgettable reality; a reality that allowed and encouraged dreams to come true and inspired the formation of many others. Ecce Quam Bonum
Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHMS) is a Roman Catholic college seminary located amidst the natural beauty of the peaceful Mississippi river town of Winona, Minnesota. Building upon the rich two thousand year history of the Catholic Church and its most recent Program of Priestly Formation, IHMS in conjunction with Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, progressively strives to deliver first-class spiritual and academic resources which engrains an outstanding foundation of Prayer, Philosophy and Theology in our men. For over a half century the programs at IHMS have been forming men of mature human quality and deep spirituality. It is an experience…an opportunity for men to follow Christ. As Pope Benedict XVI defines any seminary, IHMS is where a man experiences the beauty of God’s call in a moment of grace which could be defined as “falling in love.”
A Focused Vision
Always focused on the mission of God’s Church, Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary is a beacon of Christ Himself, inviting men to follow His call, preparing a new generation of priests for leadership and service. The Program of Priestly Formation
Since 1948, IHM Seminary has guided over one thousand men from various dioceses and religious communities in following God’s call to the priesthood. These men continue on to become outstanding leaders in Church and community. They become not only our pastors but also our leaders, friends and brothers in Christ. These priests guide the flock through the glorious mystery of the sacraments. They baptize our babies, forgive our sins, share with us the Eucharist, enliven the Holy Spirit within, unite us in marriage, and anoint us at death. They are with their people every step on life’s journey to salvation. The Program of Priestly Formation followed by IHMS readies the men with the essential tools to best serve God and the needs of His people.
† Human Formation
In a family-like atmosphere, college-level and pre-theology men live and work together as a community. Nestled in a beautiful bluffland setting, the environment sets a tone that is conducive to and inspiring for abundant living, fraternal support and contemplative prayer. The men are challenged to seek and develop their personality in such a way that it becomes a bridge and not an obstacle for others in their meeting of Jesus Christ. They form mature relationships while growing into healthy, mature, and holy men embracing a chaste celibate lifestyle. The future priest will be entrusted with a community of faith. Such a call and trust requires that during seminary year¬s, the seminarian be formed to “love the truth, to be loyal, to respect every person, to have a sense of justice, to be true to his work, to be genuinely compassionate, to be a man of integrity and socially, to be balanced in judgment and behavior.”(PDV #43)
† Spiritual Formation
Here, one has the opportunity to grow spiritually through daily communal prayer, personal prayer, and individual spiritual direction. The Eucharist is central to the day and the life of each man in the house. The invitation and challenge for each member of the seminary to engage in priestly formation, having the Eucharist always as the source and summit of life, is to show that faith is a personal decision which involves all life. For men studying to be priests, ministers of the Eucharist and its mystery, this relationship to Christ needs to be central to their lives.
† Intellectual Formation
Most seminarians spend four years at the seminary to complete an undergraduate degree at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Along with University requirements, the seminary closely follows the academic directives of the Program of Priestly Formation, established by the USCCB. All of the men are required to have 30 credits of Philosophy, 12 credits of Theology and one year of Latin, besides the Liberal Arts requirements of the University.
† Pastoral Formation
By reaching out to the needs of the community, students are guided through a variety of service experiences: nursing home and prison visitation, classroom aides, Newman Center Catechesis, parish ministry, retreats, and homeless shelter service. While the service is important, the personal growth and formation the seminarian receives through this experience is vital. The fundamental focus of the program is discernment. For some, it is a moment of discovery. For most, it is a growing awareness of God’s presence in their life, a presence that guides and directs them to the Father’s will. The discerning person must be a person of prayer. For the seminarian, discernment is the essential link between prayer and active Christian living that will move him through life’s journey to his God-given vocation.
