SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary facts for kids
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SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Indian Trail, Orchard Lake, Michigan |
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| Built | 1858 |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Tudor Revival, Queen Anne |
| Part of | Orchard Lake Schools Historic District (ID82002859) |
| Designated CP | March 19, 1982 |
SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary was a special school in Orchard Lake, Michigan, USA. It was a four-year private seminary for people of Polish heritage. The school was named after Saints Cyril and Methodius. It started in 1885 in Detroit, Michigan. Its main goal was to train people to become Roman Catholic priests. These priests would then help Polish American communities who had moved to the United States.
Contents
How the Seminary Started
This seminary was approved on January 14, 1879. Pope Leo XIII gave his permission after Father Leopold Moczygemba asked for it. Father Moczygemba was a Franciscan priest. He had founded a Polish settlement in Panna Maria, Texas, back in 1854.
Father Joseph Dabrowski helped make the seminary a reality. He was the first leader, called a rector. He got permission from Bishop Caspar Borgess of Detroit. This allowed him to build a school on St. Aubin Avenue in Detroit. He also organized the school's study plan.
Moving to Orchard Lake
More and more students wanted to join the seminary. This meant the school needed a bigger place. So, in 1909, the second rector, Father Witold Buchaczkowski, moved the seminary. It moved from Detroit to a new location in Orchard Lake. This area was more rural, or like the countryside, northwest of Detroit. The new location used to be the Michigan Military Academy.
What Students Studied
The first study plan at the seminary lasted ten years. The first five years were for a preparatory classical department. This was like high school. The next five years were for higher studies. These included two years of philosophy and three years of theology.
In 1927, three separate schools were created. These were SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, St. Mary's College, and St. Mary's Preparatory. Together, they are now known as the Orchard Lake Schools.
Later Study Programs
In 1968, the Seminary started new training programs. It began to train permanent deacons. These are people who help priests in the church. It also offered practical experience for students studying to be priests. Plus, it had classes for adults who wanted to keep learning.
Over the years, more study programs were added. In 1973, they started a Master of Divinity program. This was for people becoming priests, religious workers, and other church members. In 1977, a Master of Religious Education program began. Later, in 1989, this became the Master of Arts in Religious Education. Also in 1989, they added a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry. This program had been around since 1975 as a certificate course.
School Accreditation
In 1971, SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary became a member of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). This group checks if schools meet certain quality standards. In 1992, the seminary began the process to become fully accredited by ATS. This meant they had to study their own programs for two years. Finally, in January 1995, SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary received its first accreditation from ATS. This showed that the school met high standards for its education.
See also
- Polish Americans
- Polish Roman Catholic Union of America
- Roman Catholicism in Poland
- Polish Cathedral style
