For Immediate Release
December 11, 2025
Contact:
Kenneth A. Gavin
Chief Communications Officer
215-587-3747 (office)
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office for Communications shares the information below on behalf of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.
SAINT CHARLES BORROMEO SEMINARY JOINS NATIONAL MENTORSHIP INITIATIVE FOR PRIESTLY FORMATION
Philadelphia, PA – Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is honored to collaborate in a groundbreaking national initiative to strengthen priestly formation through mentorship training. This effort, led by Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon, is supported by a generous $10 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. under its Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative.
The project will implement a large-scale mentorship model aligned with the Program of Priestly Formation, 6th edition, recently mandated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). This model emphasizes forming mentors who will accompany transitional deacons and newly ordained priests during the Vocational Synthesis Stage, ensuring a healthy and integrated transition into parish ministry.
Under the leadership of Mount Angel Seminary, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary joins a distinguished group of partner institutions, including Saint Mary Seminary (Cleveland, OH), Saint Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary (Boynton Beach, FL), The Saint Paul Seminary (Saint Paul, MN), USML Mundelein Seminary (Mundelein, IL), and the Seminary Formation Council.
Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, Chair of the Seminary Board of Trustees, praised the initiative:
“This collaboration reflects our unwavering commitment to forming priests who are prepared for the pastoral, administrative, and relational challenges of parish life. By investing in mentorship, we ensure that our newly ordained priests receive the guidance and support they need to flourish in ministry and serve God’s people with joy and integrity.”
Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary’s Role
As part of this national effort, Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary will contribute its expertise in priestly formation and pastoral integration. The seminary will help design and implement mentor training programs, host regional workshops, and provide ongoing evaluation to ensure that mentor priests are equipped to guide new clergy through the critical early years of parish ministry. This work builds on the seminary’s long-standing tradition of excellence in forming priests for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and beyond.
Rev. T. Christopher Redcay, Rector of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, added: “We are deeply grateful to the Very Rev. Jeff Eirvin, President-Rector of Mount Angel Seminary for their visionary leadership in this national initiative. Forming mentors who, in turn, form pastoral leaders is among the most important work we can do for the life of the Church. This collaboration strengthens our shared mission to ensure that priests are accompanied and supported as they begin their ministry of service to God’s people.”
The Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative seeks to help theological schools across the U.S. and Canada respond to pressing challenges in preparing pastoral leaders. Since its launch in 2021, the initiative has provided more than $700 million in grants to support theological education and collaborative projects nationwide.