Brochure - St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry

www.stbernards.edu

How is the Lord calling you to deeper knowledge and love of Him? Since 1893, St. Bernard's has assisted students of all ages in coming to know and love Our Lord and His Church through theological, philosophical, and pastoral engagement. Men and women, cleric and lay, ecclesial ministers and those seeking personal formation and edification enroll in our programs, seeking the good, true, and beautiful alongside one another. We accomplish this mission primarily through graduate study:

Master of Arts in Theological Studies This degree seeks to provide students with a thorough understanding of theology that simultaneously increases knowledge of the faith and incites humble adoration of the mysteries of divine revelation. Students are able to concentrate their study in one of four areas: A. Biblical Studies B. Historical Theology

C. Systematic Theology D. Pastoral Theology

Those preparing for teaching or advanced studies will wish to explore this degree program.

Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies Our MAPS program offers students a dynamic combination of theological and ministerial formation, which prepares them to offer an engaging, well-formed witness to the world, whether it be in the context of catechetical leadership, social ministry, or family life.

Master of Divinity This degree seeks to provide students with an extensive and dynamic combination of theological and ministerial formation, which prepares them to offer an engaging, well-formed witness to the world, usually through professional ministry. Those preparing for ecclesial ministry and the ministerial priesthood will wish to explore this degree program.

Master of Arts in Catholic Philosophy Our MACP program engages students in a systematic study of philosophy as realized within the Catholic intellectual tradition. Students will become historically informed, independent thinkers who can critically and creatively engage in the discipline of philosophy as practiced within Catholic intellectual circles and outside of these within contemporary culture for the sake of the goods for which the diaconate, priesthood, and/or other ministries within the Roman Catholic Church exist. It is also designed to prepare students for studies in doctoral philosophy.

Graduate Certificate Programs Our Graduate Certificates seek to enrich those wanting to learn more – who desire to be formed and informed so as to offer a well-formed witness to the world. They are each composed of five graduate courses (15 credit hours). A bachelor’s degree is not required: 1. Graduate Certificate in Catholicism and Fine Arts 2. Graduate Certificate in Catholic Philosophy 3. Certificate in Catechetical Leadership 4. Certificate in Catholic Biblical Studies Certificate Partnership Programs: 1. Certificate in Evangelization - in partnership with the Saint John Society 2. Graduate Certificate in Catholic Bioethics - in partnership with the National Catholic Bioethics Center (15 credits) 3. Great Books Graduate Certificate in Theology - in partnership with the Aquinas Institute (18 credits)

Pre-Theology Formation As part of our ongoing contribution to the ministerial needs of the Church, St. Bernard’s developed a Pre-Theology Program to help prepare young men who, although possessing a bachelor’s degree, have not received the necessary spiritual, human, pastoral, but especially the philosophical training required for entrance into the seminary. It uses St. Bernard's Master of Arts in Catholic Philosophy curriculum as its foundation combined with additional courses to meet the requirements outlined in the Program of Priestly Formation, a publication authored and published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). By the time a candidate is ready for seminary, he will have received St. Bernard's Master of Arts in Catholic Philosophy degree.

Diaconate Formation St. Bernard’s offers formation for the Permanent Diaconate in partnership with the Dioceses of Rochester, Albany, Buffalo, and Allentown, PA. This formation program is designed to be part of a concerted effort on the part of a diocese to form a man spiritually, pastorally, humanly, and intellectually so that he might discern and be formed for the sake of successful ministry as a permanent deacon. It is developed in accordance with the National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States, a publication authored and published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). By the time a candidate is ready for ordination, he will have received a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies degree from St. Bernard's.

History, Accreditation, & Mission For over 125 years, St. Bernard's has steadily pursued a course of dedication and service to Christ and His Church. Opened as a Roman Catholic Seminary in 1893 in the Diocese of Rochester and restructured as an Institute for Theological and Ministerial studies in 1981, St. Bernard's went on to open its doors in the Diocese of Albany. From there in 2011 it held its first class in the Diocese of Syracuse, and then in 2019 began its first ever online distance learning program allowing anyone anywhere to access graduate theology and philosophy degrees and certificates. In 2020, St. Bernard’s expanded its diaconate and lay formation offerings to the Diocese of Buffalo, and in 2021 began providing diaconate formation for the Diocese of Allentown.

St. Bernard's is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the United States and Canada and is an approved institution with NC-SARA: a nonprofit organization that helps expand students’ access to educational opportunities related to distance education programs.

Our mission is to nurture the entirety of the human person through attention to the pastoral, intellectual, spiritual, and human dimensions of formation with the hope that we may, in a definite and dedicated way, assist our students to understand the things of our Faith and to incarnate them in their day-to-day service to God's people and the world as a whole.

Our Faculty Theological and philosophical scholars, retreat masters, lecturers, authors, pastoral counselors, and clergy make up St. Bernard's diverse faculty of faithful men and women. They hold degrees from the University of Toronto, the Pontifical John Paul II Institute, University of Chicago, Ave Maria University, DeSales University, the University of Macerata, Italy, and others - all sharing a passion for learning, ministry, and the success of their students. Highly accessible as advisors, they assist in course selection as well as intellectual, human, pastoral, and spiritual formation.

Rochester Campus: 120 French Road Rochester, NY 14618 (585) 271 – 3657

Contact Us! matthew.brown@stbernards.edu (585) 271-3657, ext 2 Follow us! @StBernardsSTM:

Albany Campus: 40 North Main Avenue Albany, NY 12203 (518) 453 – 6760