A group of people seated at tables in a conference room, raising their hands. The room has wood paneling and windows. There are plates, glasses, and bottles on the tables, and attendees are dressed in formal and casual attire.

Initiatives

Theological Integration and Ministerial Excellence

Rooted in the Catholic and Benedictine tradition, Saint John’s prepare visionary leaders and ministers to build up the church and the world, serving as a leading voice across the globe for theological education and the very life of the church. Our work inspires all of God’s people to serve with the gifts bestowed upon them.

Three people wearing black religious habits stand indoors, two facing each other holding a piece of wood and smiling, while the third stands to the left, mostly turned away from the camera.

Monastic Institute

The Monastic Institute is sponsored and organized by Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary and  Saint John’s Abbey. Its goal is to foster reflection and conversation on matters of concern to monastic communities and other intentional communities.

A man speaks at a podium to an attentive group seated at tables in a well-lit dining hall. A religious icon hangs on the wall behind him, and a buffet area is visible in the background.

Theology Day

Theology Day serves as an opportunity for Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary to serve faith communities through the work of their scholarship and teaching. Attendees have opportunities to grow in faith, knowledge, and self-understanding. 

A narrow dirt path winds through a lush, green forest with tall trees and leafy branches, bathed in soft sunlight.

Youth in Theology and Ministry Summer Institute

Youth in Theology and Ministry (YTM) engages and develops Catholic young people and their adult mentors to be vibrant leaders in their faith journey and vocational call.

A woman stands behind a podium covered with a green patterned cloth, speaking to an audience in a wooden-paneled room, with blurred heads visible in the foreground.

Obsculta Preaching Initiative

Through its work and collaborative partners, the Obsculta Preaching Initiative supports programming and formation opportunities which place preaching and the sacramentality of the word at the center of pastoral and academic training. 

A priest in green robes stands at the altar, addressing a group of children and an older woman inside a church. Candles are lit and a boy is seen in the background near the altar.

Sustained Encuentro

Sustained Encuentro: Accompanying One Another Along the Way is an initiative to provide top-tier theological formation and training to lay ecclesial ministers and diaconal candidates in U.S. rural and mission Catholic dioceses through training in English and Spanish.

Four young adults, three women and one man, are talking and smiling together outdoors on a sunny autumn day, with colorful trees and a building in the background. One woman sits on a low wall while the others stand.

Conversatio

Prepares students to foster ongoing Christian conversion and intercultural encounter in themselves and in local and rural congregations where they serve.

An elderly man with short white hair wearing glasses is smiling. He is dressed in a dark suit jacket and appears to be in front of a light-colored wall with a textured surface.

Diekmann Center

The Diekmann Center seeks to deepen contemporary understanding of the, early Christian theologians of the first through seventh centuries, and to promote the liturgical renewal called for by the Second Vatican Council. For more information….

A metal cross stands atop a modern sculpture with stained glass elements, set against a cloudy sky.

Obsculta Student Journal

Obsculta is a student-edited journal, published annually by the School of Theology, which features the academic, artistic, and ministerial works of students, faculty, and alumni.

A woman in a sunhat stands on a farm, holding up an object and speaking to a group of people who are attentively listening. The group stands on dirt near a wooden building, with green fields and a cloudy blue sky in the background.

Rural Ministry Immersion

An intensive introduction to rural contexts and cultures in Stearns County, MN and the forms of Christian ministry within them. The immersion experience includes daily site visits, expert speakers, facilitated theological reflection, and opportunities for liturgical prayer with the monastic communities.

A woman in a brown sweater sits among a group of people in a room, resting her chin on her hand and listening attentively. Other attendees are slightly out of focus around her.

Formation Days

Open to the public and our students in formation, Formation Days serve as opportunities for ministers to sharpen their ministerial competencies through guest speakers and reflection.