SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary

SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location	Indian Trail, Orchard Lake, Michigan
Coordinates	42°35′38″N 83°21′28″W / 42.59389°N 83.35778°W / 42.59389; -83.35778Coordinates: 42°35′38″N 83°21′28″W / 42.59389°N 83.35778°W / 42.59389; -83.35778
Built	1858
Architectural style	Gothic, Tudor Revival, Queen Anne
Part of	Orchard Lake Schools Historic District (#82002859[1])
Designated CP	March 19, 1982

SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary is a four-year private Polish seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan. The seminary, taking its name from Saints Cyril and Methodius, was founded in 1885 in Detroit, Michigan, to prepare candidates for the Roman Catholic priesthood primarily to serve Polish American immigrant communities.

Early history

Approval for founding such a seminary was granted on January 14, 1879, by Pope Leo XIII upon the petition of Father Leopold Moczygemba,a Conventual Franciscan, founder of the Polish settlement in Panna Maria, Texas, in 1854.

The establishment of the seminary was realized by Father Joseph Dabrowski, the first rector, who obtained approval from Bishop Caspar Borgess of Detroit for constructing a building on St. Aubin Avenue between Forest Avenue and Garfield Street and organizing the seminary program.

The Move to Orchard Lake

Increasing enrollment and the need for additional space led the second rector, Father Witold Buchaczkowski, to transfer the seminary in 1909 from Detroit to the site of the former Michigan Military Academy in the rural village of Orchard Lake, northwest of Detroit.

The Early Program

The original academic program of the seminary consisted of ten years of studies: five in the preparatory classical department and five in the upper division, namely, two in philosophy and three in theology. In 1927, three four-year administratively independent schools were established: SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, St. Mary's College, and St. Mary's Preparatory, known collectively at present as the Orchard Lake Schools.

Current Academic Programs

In 1968, the Seminary began to provide a training program for permanent deacons, field education for seminarians, and continuing education for adults. In the ensuing years, the following degree programs were introduced: Master of Divinity (1973) for priesthood candidates, religious, and lay women and men; Master of Religious Education (1977), later designated as Master of Arts in Religious Education (1989); and Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry (1989), an upgrading of the Certificate in Pastoral Ministry, which had been in existence since 1975.

Accreditation

In 1971, SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary became an associate member of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). In 1992 the seminary was granted candidacy for accredited status in the association and undertook a two-year self-study as part of the process leading toward accreditation. SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary was granted initial accreditation by ATS in January, 1995.

See also

• Polish Americans
• Polish Roman Catholic Union of America
• Roman Catholicism in Poland
• Polish Cathedral style

References

External links

• SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary

Archdiocese of Detroit Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of Detroit Bishops Frederick Rese Caspar Borgess John Samuel Foley Michael Gallagher Coadjutor bishop Peter Paul Lefevere Archbishops Edward Aloysius Mooney John Francis Dearden Edmund Szoka Adam Maida Allen Henry Vigneron Churches in the Archdiocese of Detroit Cathedral Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament Parishes Detroit Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church Most Holy Redeemer Church Our Lady of the Rosary Church Sacred Heart Church St. Albertus Church Ste. Anne de Detroit Church St. Catherine of Siena Church St. Charles Borromeo Church St. Josaphat's Church St. Joseph Church St. Mary Church St. Patrick Church Saints Peter and Paul Church St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Church Sweetest Heart of Mary Church Monroe County St. Mary's Church, Monroe Wayne County St. Paul Church, Grosse Pointe Farms St. Florian Church, Hamtramck Our Lady of the Scapular Parish, Wyandotte Former St. Boniface Church, Detroit St. Theresa of Avila Church, Detroit St. Thomas the Apostle's Church, Detroit Shrine National Shrine of the Little Flower, Royal Oak Education in the Archdiocese of Detroit Higher education Madonna University Marygrove College University of Detroit Mercy Seminaries Sacred Heart Major Seminary SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary High schools Macomb County De La Salle Collegiate High School, Warren Regina High School, Warren Austin Catholic High School, Ray Township Monroe County St. Mary Catholic Central High School, Monroe Oakland County Academy of the Sacred Heart High School, Bloomfield Hills Bishop Foley Catholic High School, Madison Heights Brother Rice High School, Bloomfield Hills Detroit Catholic Central High School, Novi Everest Academy and High School, Independence Township Marian High School, Bloomfield Hills Mercy High School, Farmington Hills Notre Dame Preparatory, Pontiac Our Lady of the Lakes High School, Waterford Shrine Catholic High School, Royal Oak St. Mary's Preparatory, Orchard Lake Village St. Catherine of Siena Academy, Wixom St. Clair County Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, Marine City Wayne County Cabrini High School, Allen Park Detroit Cristo Rey High School, Detroit Divine Child High School, Dearborn Gabriel Richard Catholic High School, Riverview Ladywood High School, Livonia Loyola High School, Detroit University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, Detroit Former Higher education Duns Scotus College Maryglade College High schools Girls Catholic Central High School, Detroit Holy Redeemer High School, Detroit Notre Dame High School, Harper Woods Sacred Heart High School, Roseville Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School, Wyandotte Clergy of the Archdiocese of Detroit Auxiliary bishops Moses Anderson Allen James Babcock Leonard Paul Blair Earl Alfred Boyea, Jr. Joseph M. Breitenbeck Kevin Michael Britt Michael J. Byrnes Arturo Cepeda Patrick R. Cooney Henry Edmund Donnelly John Anthony Donovan Daniel E. Flores Thomas Gumbleton Donald Hanchon Bernard Joseph Harrington Walter A. Hurley Joseph Leopold Imesch Edward D. Kelly Arthur Henry Krawczak Dale Joseph Melczek John Clayton Nienstedt Joseph C. Plagens John M. Quinn Francis R. Reiss Walter Joseph Schoenherr Allen Henry Vigneron Stephen Stanislaus Woznicki Alexander M. Zaleski Priests Alexander Joseph Brunett Solanus Casey Charles Coughlin Francis Kelley Camillus Paul Maes Jeffrey Marc Monforton William Murphy John A. Trese Kenneth Edward Untener Catholicism Portal Detroit Portal