黑料不打烊 is a free-standing, English speaking theological seminary, welcoming all those seeking the knowledge possessed by the Eastern ecclesial traditions.聽 Since its inauguration, the Seminary has prepared hundreds of priests to serve the Church and its people in the Byzantine Tradition. In addition to its focus on priestly formation, the Seminary is聽a theological center and resource for lifelong learning, handing on the Tradition of the Christian East for those men and women who seek to serve and enrich the life of the Church and to engage the world in theological reflection, dialogue, and witness.
The Byzantine Catholic Church is constituted of Christians under the聽governance of the Successor of Saint Peter, the Pope of Rome, and the聽bishops in communion with him. Our religious patrimony, distinct from聽that of Roman Catholics, took shape in fourth-century Byzantium聽(Constantinople; present-day Istanbul). These traditions were brought聽north to the Slavic people beginning in the ninth century. 鈥淕reek Catholic鈥澛爀migrants from Eastern Europe brought their Byzantine faith to the United聽States at the end of the nineteenth century.
Until the Second World War, most seminarians for the Byzantine聽Ruthenian Church in the United States were trained in the seminaries of聽Pre拧ov (in present-day Slovakia) or U啪horod (in present day Ukraine). The聽official dissolution of the Byzantine Catholic Churches by the Communist聽regimes after the war precluded the option of training candidates in聽Europe. Seminaries in the United States trained men in the Latin Rite only;聽obtaining a proper Eastern Catholic education was problematic.
By the beginning of 1950, it was clear to the Byzantine Catholic bishop,聽Daniel Ivancho, that the construction and staffing of a seminary dedicated聽to the education and training of men who were discerning the聽priesthood聽was a necessity for the continued growth of the Byzantine Catholic Church聽in America. Setting aside plans for a new cathedral, Bishop Daniel instead聽established the Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, also installing a聽board of directors.
黑料不打烊 inaugurated its theological program on聽October 16, 1950 and formally dedicated the present structure which聽houses the institution one year later on October 18, 1951. The Seminary聽Chapel with design and artwork by the Rambusch Company of New York聽was completed and blessed on February 23, 1952, and with great festivity,聽the Library was dedicated on May 17, 1953.
The largest student body in the history of the Seminary was welcomed for聽the new academic year in September 1960, as 111 seminarians enrolled.聽 A second and third-story wing was added to expand the Library and add dormitory space.
The Seminary鈥檚 academic faculty in these early years was composed of聽priests who had received their advanced degrees in Central Europe or Rome聽before the war. Newly-arrived immigrant priests, with impressive聽credentials, rounded out the faculty. These intellectual and spiritual links聽to renowned theological faculties in Rome, Budapest, Prague, and to聽institutions in Presov and Uzhorod forged a strong sense of solidarity with聽the mother churches of Europe. American-born seminarians were now聽offered the challenging models of European erudition.
In the 1970s, the Seminary chapel was completely refurbished with new聽iconography by Christina Dochwat, a Ukrainian emigre from Philadelphia.聽The Library was expanded and equipped with more areas for reading and聽work. Computers were introduced for student use.
During the 80s and early 90s, the Seminary strengthened connections with聽the churches in Pre拧ov and U啪horod by providing support for their聽seminarians as Communist rule was weakening.
Since 1998, the Seminary has hosted academic classes for a Deacon聽Formation Program that serves multiple Eastern Catholic jurisdictions,聽facilities for the Metropolitan Cantor Institute, and events sponsored by the聽Archeparchial Office of Religious Education.聽In 1999, the Seminary found among its seminarians the first not to be of a Byzantine-Ruthenian jurisdiction.聽 This student of the Romanian Byzantine Catholic jurisdiction opened the door to the Byzantine Catholic Seminary truly being a Center of Learning for various Eastern Christian particular churches.
In 2000, its 50th anniversary year, the Seminary received a generous聽endowment to underwrite an annual scholarly lecture. On May 8, 2001,聽Archimandrite Robert F. Taft of the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome,聽delivered the inaugural Ss. Cyril and Methodius Lecture. This lecture series聽furthers the purpose of the Seminary as a center of learning for Eastern聽Catholic Churches while providing a platform for scholarly and ecumenical聽discussion with a wider theological audience.
With a view to greater academic standing, the Seminary sought and, in聽2003, was authorized by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to grant聽graduate degrees.
In January 2008, the Association of Theological Schools (A.T.S.) granted聽accreditation to the Seminary, approving its Master of Divinity and Master聽of Arts in Theology degrees.聽In the fall semester following, the Seminary welcomed its first seminarian from the Melkite Eparchy of Newton.
In 2009, an interim visit by ATS launched a process of to聽carry the Seminary into the future. The Seminary Board of Directors was聽restructured with an eye to greater diversity, goal development, cooperative聽planning, and a system of evaluation. The financial status of the Seminary聽took greater priority which resulted in an increase in our donor base as well聽as a documented path of steady growth. Technology improvements聽included the installation of a Smart Classroom as well as enhancement of聽campus networking. A culture of assessment began to emerge.
In 2010, the Seminary graduated its first female M.A.T. student as well as聽launched Byzantine Online, the Seminary鈥檚 distance learning program.
Beginning in 2011, major physical improvements were made to the聽chapel as well as the library and student rooms.聽The iconic dome, bells, and tower were also refurbished. The Seminary also聽launched a program of priestly formation for married men. At the same聽time, academic requirements were reviewed and adjusted to remain in聽compliance with the expectations of the Catholic bishops in the United聽States, ATS, and the particular needs of Eastern Catholic Churches in聽America. Tuition rates were adjusted to a per-credit system applicable to all students.
In 2015, online classes began to be offered for credit. On the 16th of聽October, the day of its 65th anniversary, the Seminary observed this聽milestone occasion by welcoming 20 young men for the annual weekend of聽prayer and retreat. The “Come and See” weekend of discovery was one of聽the most successful ever 鈥� a positive experience in the life of the Seminary聽exhibiting its potential for allowing the Holy Spirit to enliven the call to聽ministerial service.
In 2016, a program of Ongoing Formation was established for priests, with a particular focus on the needs of priests seeking bi-ritual faculties, those on sabbatical, and those pursuing terminal academic degrees.聽 The year saw a noticeable increase in students, bringing new dynamics to the community in learning, fellowship, and prayer.聽 Facilitating individual spiritual direction and a formation seminar for the wives of the seminarians was a clear indication that the seminary staff supports them. Expansive academic projects and rigorous programs gained respect for the Seminary in the greater academic environment.聽 The year was blessed by an increase in the generosity of benefactors and included the development of a plan for making the Seminary building more accessible to the physically challenged.
A broadening of the Seminary鈥檚 teaching reach was seen in 2017 in the hosting of its first academic conference which welcomed presenters from the U.S. and abroad.聽 The online delivery system of courses allowed students for the first time to pursue the M.A.T. degree solely via internet, thus allowing for one of the highest enrollments ever in the program鈥檚 history.聽 As a new satellite member of the Washington Theological Consortium, the Seminary鈥檚 non-matriculating student population also increased.聽 The formational community along with participants in the annual 鈥淐ome and See鈥� retreat also expanded to include men from the Ukrainian jurisdiction.
The year 2020, marking the 70th anniversary of the Seminary, began with two most notable occurrences.聽 First, the Seminary graduated its first two M.A.T. students who had taken all of their courses online.聽 Second, A.T.S. granted reaccreditation to the Seminary, approving its Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theology degrees for a period of ten years 鈥� the longest period A.T.S. affirms accreditation to a theological school.聽 With an M.A.T. enrollment double that of the M.Div. seminarian enrollment, the Seminary鈥檚 vision of being a center for lifelong learning for men and women who seek to serve and enrich the Church was examined and found to be 20/20.聽 By the end of 2020, B.C.S. gained acceptance into the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA).聽聽By granting this designation, SARA acknowledged that the Seminary has developed policies that result in high-quality distance education offerings available to students around the country.
By mid-2021 the Seminary embraced an ambitious strategic plan to be a guide and motivator for the decade ahead.聽 Strategic goals include the re-envisioning of the Seminary鈥檚 Community of Aspirants, the development of an institutional planning strategy, building enhancements, and several goals related to Intellectual Formation. The perfecting of hybrid means of delivering courses was achieved early-on in the decade, as were the benchmarks for the Seminary鈥檚 Community of Aspirants.
RECTORS
+Most Rev. Daniel Ivancho . 1950-1952
+Rev. Msgr. Nicholas T. Elko 1952-1954
+Rev. Msgr. George Michaylo 1954-1956
+Rev. George Bonchonsky (acting Rector) 1956
+Very Rev. John J. Kostival 1956-1958
+Most Rev. Stephen J. Kocisko 1958-1963
+Very Rev. Msgr. Basil Smochko 1963-1966
+Rev. Msgr. John Macko 1966-1969
+Rev. Msgr. Judson M. Procyk 1969-1973
+Very Rev. Andrew J. Pataki 1973-1979
+Most Rev. John M. Bilock 1979-1980
+Rev. Msgr. Raymond Balta 1980-1990
+Rev. Msgr. Russell A. Duker 1990-1995
+Very Rev. Archpriest John G. Petro 1995-2012
Most Rev. Kurt Burnette 2012-2013
Most Rev. George D. Gallaro (acting Rector) 2013-2014
Very Rev. Robert M. Pipta 2014-2023
Very Rev. Ronald C. Barusefski 2023-
+ deceased