Certificate of Preparation for Ordination
Objectives
The Master of Divinity (M.Div.) is a professional degree designed for men preparing to be ordained to the Catholic Priesthood or permanent Diaconate. Successful completion of the Master of Divinity program attests to the recipient’s competency for exercising priestly ministry gained from a thorough grounding in Sacred Scripture, Dogmatic and Moral Theology, Spiritual and Pastoral Theology, Canon Law, Liturgy, Homiletics and Church History.
Some students who apply at a later age and do not have a Bachelor’s degree may, with the permission of their diocese or religious society, earn a Certificate of Preparation for Ordination for the Priesthood upon the satisfactory completion of four years of theology.
Admission Requirements
Applicants for the M.Div. program should follow the Seminary Division Admissions Procedures, as defined in this catalog. Applicants for the M.Div. program must have a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university and 24 credits in 8 pre-requisite philosophy courses as given in the Theology program requirements described elsewhere in this catalog.
In cases where an applicant has been a seminarian in another accredited theologate, 60 graduate credits with at least a “C” grade may be transferred toward the M.Div. degree.
Degree Requirements
Ninety (96) credits of graduate theology are required and must include:
- DTH 731 One and Triune God
- DTH 751 Christology
- MTH 611 Fundamental Moral Theology I
- SAS 651 Synoptic Gospels
A minimum of nine credits must be earned in each of the areas of Moral Theology, Sacred Scripture, Dogmatic Theology, Pastoral Theology and Church History
d. Academic Requirements
| Year 1 – First Semester SAS 615 Introduction to Exegesis MTH 611 Fundamental Moral Theology I PAS 795 Human Formation (Psychology) SAS 639 Pentateuch/Historical Books Elective2 PAS 622 Field Education | 3 3 3 3 0 | Year 1 – Second Semester DTH 601 Faith, Revelation, and Grace DTH 655 Sacraments of Initiation MTH 612 Fundamental Moral Theology II SAS 621 Prophetic/Wisdom Literature Elective PAS 623 Field Education | 3 3 3 3 3 0 |
| Year II – First Semester CLA 601 Canon Law I LTH 653 Liturgical Theology SAS 651 Synoptic Gospels MTH 841 Catholic Social Teaching Elective PAS 624 Field Education | 3 3 3 3 3 0 | Year II – Second Semester CHH 700 Survey of Church HIstory CLA 715 Canon Law II SAS 802 Johannine Writings DTH 731 One and Triune God Elective PAS 625 Field Education | 3 3 3 3 3 0 |
| Year III – First Semester MTH 890 Moral Virtues and Confession PAS 751 Homiletics I SAS 671 Letters of St. Paul and Catholic Epistles DTH 751 Christology Elective PAS 626 Field Education | 3 3 3 3 3 0 0 | Year III – Second Semester DTH 641 Protology and Eschatology PAS 752 Homiletics II DTH 760 Ecclesiology and Ecumenism CHH 881 Patristics Elective PAS 627 Field Education | 3 3 3 3 0 0 |
| Year IV – First Semester DTH 871 Priesthood and Celibacy DTH 890 Spiritual Theology SAS 657 Luke and Acts of the Apostles PAS 599 Parish Management and Operations Elective PAS 628 Field Education | 3 3 3 3 3 0 | Year IV – Second Semester DTH/CHH 676 Recent Magisterium DTH 865 Penance and Anointing PAS 725 Missiology: Pastoral Theology – New Evangelization DTH 765 Mariology Elective PAS 629 Field Education | 3 3 3 3 3 0 |
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[1] The theological program consists of 120 recommended credits, of which a minimum of 96 credits are applied to the M.Div. Degree. The program is consistent with the norms of the Program for Priestly Formation of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
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[2] Electives include but are not limited to: Pastoral Courses Related to Field Education, Theology of the Body and the Recent Magisterium, Catechetics, Philosophy for Theologians, Documents of Vatican II, Catholic Bioethics.