Founded in 1884, Saint John’s Seminary (SJS) is the major seminary of the Archdiocese of Boston. The primary mission of the Seminary is to prepare candidates for ordination as diocesan priests in the Roman Catholic Church and to recommend them to sending bishops. SJS enrolls candidates from numerous dioceses and religious congregations from around New England and beyond. In addition to this primary mission, SJS offers both the Master of Arts in Ministry (MAM) and Master of Theological Studies for the New Evangelization (MTS) Degree Programs which provide accredited graduate education and formation to laypersons, permanent deacons and religious. These two degree programs are accredited through both the New England Commission of Higher Education and the Association of Theological Schools.
More specifically, the MAM Degree Program offers an integrated formation and equips students for service in the public work of the Church. This program is ideal for those preparing for ministering in parishes, on high school or college campuses, in hospitals and prisons, or for teaching in Catholic schools. The MTS Degree Program, however, is designed to expose students to the broad parameters of Catholic theology while enabling them to focus on a particular theological topic through a master’s level thesis. There is also a comprehensive examination option instead of writing a thesis. The program is ideal for those working in other professions who seek to augment their primary skill set with a grounding in theology in order to more effectively evangelize the fields of culture, work, politics, and family. These two degrees can also prepare students for further graduate study. Both degree programs share many of the same courses. In 2021-22, several core courses within the programs have been designed with a blend of in-person and online instruction. The instruction offered in these graduate programs is known for fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church in its entirety. The programs are centered at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center in Braintree, Massachusetts. Approximately fifty students are enrolled in these programs. For more information, one may visit the Seminary’s website at www.sjs.edu.