Los seminarios residenciales católicos romanos anteriores al Vaticano II como sistemas educativos únicos: un enfoque en el Ontario anglófono

On the topic of conceptions and practices of education one would have to recognize the formation of Roman Catholic diocesan clergy as unique. This paper looks at the historical development of Catholic residential seminaries since the Council of Trent, focusing specifically on North America and finally on anglophone Ontario in Canada. It describes the effect of the French School of Spirituality in the 17th century and later ultramontanism in the 19th century on seminary formation. In the final sections, the paper looks at the creation of St. Peter’s seminary in London, Canada – the first English-speaking, Roman Catholic residential seminary in the country. It argues that prior to Vatican II it had all the same characteristics of a so-called “clerical culture” as other residential seminaries created in the style of the French school and later impacted by Rome’s ultramontane agenda. Although Vatican II in the 1960’s reformed some element of seminary formation, the conclusion argues that there’s still work to be done.