The Community of Priestly Formation in UD’s Backyard
Holy Trinity Seminary was founded in 1965 by Reverend Thomas K. Gorman, bishop of the diocese of Dallas-Fort Worth. Bishop Gorman established Holy Trinity Seminary in association with the University of Dallas so that seminarians might receive both religious formation and a sound education within the Catholic intellectual tradition.
Holy Trinity Seminary is located on UD grounds just behind SB Hall. Seminarians take classes at UD as part of their intellectual formation, earning a degree in Philosophy and Letters. This degree path is specifically curated for seminarian UD students to prepare them for their priestly duties as preachers and spiritual guides to their future flocks.
For the first 20 years the seminary provided an eight-year formation program, until in 1986 a graduate program for theological formation was established at St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston. Other changes in seminary formation occurred in 2023, when the propaedeutic stage was added to the seminary’s formation program.
This stage provides seminarians with a year to focus on their relationship with Christ through prayer, trust, evangelization and fraternity. All of the incoming seminarians spend a year in this propaedeutic stage before beginning the discipleship stage of formation.
Holy Trinity Seminary not only affects UD, but the wider Catholic community as well. According to the HTS website, graduates of the seminary have become priests in over “40 archdioceses across 18 states reaching out to over 14 million Catholics.”
This is an incredible impact for Catholics in America. It is also inspiring for UD students to know that the future priest behind the pulpit has read the same Lit Trad books that they have.
Speaking of Lit Trad; when discussing UD’s core, Daniel Sanchez, a seminarian at Holy Trinity, said that it helps to reveal truths about the human person, “The ‘Iliad’, the ‘Odyssey’, the ‘Aeneid’– some people may argue that there isn’t any beauty in that, but I see man really seeking for that human greatness. Modern man just has limited himself in so many ways, and he’s failed to see just how important reason is, and Lit Trad is able to reveal that, not in the way that philosophy does, but in a way that is really pertinent to human problems and our human needs.”
When asked about his dual experience of being both seminarian and student, Basil Housewright, a seminarian of Holy Trinity, said that “intellectual formation leads to a proper informing of the other aspects of my formation, such as my spiritual, human and pastoral formation.”
Seminarian formation is based on four pillars: human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation and pastoral formation. All of these pillars are interconnected and united.
This multifaceted formation follows the USCCB guidelines that “the essential work of the seminary takes place in the context of community. Personal growth and character development should progress together harmoniously.”
Sanchez’s favorite quote comes from St. Padre Pio: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” Basil’s favorite quote is from St. John Paul II: “I plead with you—never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.”
For those interested in more time in community with those in seminary, join them for their open masses on select sundays each monthor their live stations of the cross each spring.
The unity between UD and HTS means that the seminarians of today can learn alongside their peers and future Catholic leaders of tomorrow. Uniting faith and reason, prayer and work, the unity of UD and HTS is a reflection on our Catholic faith and our community.
The seminarians of HTS don’t just impact the community, they are a part of it!