St. John's Regional Seminary (Philosophate)

Contents

St. John's Regional Seminary (Philosophate)[1] founded in 1987[2] is a propaedeutic seminary equipping students with philosophical training. It is located in the rural town of Kothavalasa in the Vizianagaram District in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Affiliation

The seminary is not affiliated to any university.[3] However, the Seminary is listed as a propaedeutic seminary under the Roman Curia.[4]

The seminary used to offer a two-year course in philosophy.[3] but, from 1999, it began offering a three-year course[3] in philosophy to enable its students to simultaneously pursue the secular graduate degrees of Bachelor of Arts (B. A.) and Master of Arts (M. A.) through the School of Distance Education, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.

Background

St. John's Regional Seminary[5] was founded in 1965[6] in Ramanthapur, Hyderabad to train Priests for the Catholic Church in Andhra Pradesh. Later in 1987, the seminary was split into two.[7] The theologiate was retained in Hyderabad while the philosophate was moved to Kothavalasa in the northern circars of Andhra Pradesh.[7]

Authorities and officials

According to an agreement signed between the Andhra Pradesh Bishop’s Council and the Salesian Province of St. Joseph, Hyderabad, on 24 May 1993 the management of the seminary has been entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco for a period of ten years. The contract was in 2003 for a period of six years. It was renewed again in 2009 for ten more years.[7] The Seminary is overseen by the following Salesians:

  • Provincial - Rev. Fr. Raminedi Balaraju, SDB
  • Rector - Fr. Koonananickal Jose, SDB
  • Dean - Br. Vincent Castilino, SDB
  • Principal - Fr. Mathiekal Wilson, SDB
  • Administrator - Fr. Cherapanath Rinoy, SDB

Admissions

The seminary follows a semester system.[8] Admission is for Catholic pupils who are eligible to pursue priestly studies and who come from any of the ten Catholic dioceses and two archdioceses in Andhra Pradesh as well as any religious Congregation willing to send their students for Priestly formation.[9]

Staff

Faculty

Source:[10]

  • Theology and Spirituality, English
  • Systematic Philosophy Fr. M. Wilson; Fr. C. Rinoy; Br. V. Castilino

Visiting Faculty

Source:[11]

  • Sr. Philomena D'Souza, FMA
  • Fr. G. Lazar, SVD
  • Fr. Mark K. Raj, SJ
  • Fr. C. P. Varghese, SDB
  • Fr. Francis Stephen, MSFS
  • Fr. P. Antony
  • Fr. P. Johnson, OFM Cap.
  • Fr. Francis Stephen, MSFS

Other staff

Source:[10]

  • Assistant Librarian and Clerk
  • Computers Sri R. Joseph

Past faculty

  • Bishop G. Prasad

References

  1. 1.Bosco Seva Kendra. Official Site. Internet, accessed 24 September 2008. [1]
  2. 2.Handbook and Calendar 2008-2009, St. John's Regional Seminary, Kondadaba, Kothavalasa 535 183, Vizianagaram District.
  3. 3.[3.2][3.3]Handbook and Calendar 2008-2009, op. cit.
  4. 4.The Roman Curia. Internet, accessed 25 September 2008
  5. 5.Torriani, Carlo. "History of the PIME IN Andhra Pradesh". atma-o-jibon.org. Archived from the original on 31 August 2009.
  6. 6.J. N. M. Wijngaards, Life and Work. Internet, accessed 24 September 2008. "Curriculum Vitae of John Wijngaards". Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  7. 7.[7.2][7.3]Handbook and Calendar 2010 -2011, p. 5
  8. 8.Handbook and Calendar 2010 -2011, pp. 5-9
  9. 9.Inferred from List of Students, Handbook and Calendar 2010-2011, pp. 22-24
  10. 10.[10.2]Handbook and Calendar 2010-2011, op. cit. p. 17
  11. 11.Handbook and Calendar 2010-2011, op. cit. p. 18