Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary

Catholic Theological Educationpsjs.edu

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary is a Roman Catholic seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, providing human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation for men aged 30 and older preparing for priesthood. It serves over 50 U.S. dioceses under a 501(c)(3) model funded by tuition and donations.

Company typePrivate
Founded1964
HeadquartersWeston, United States
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary does

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary is a Roman Catholic professional and graduate theological institution founded in 1964 and based in Weston, Massachusetts. It operates as a private 501(c)(3) and is the only American seminary specifically for mature candidates aged 30 and older that is administered by diocesan priests, delivering a four-year priestly formation program that integrates human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral development and culminates in a Master of Divinity degree. Seminarians are nominated by their respective diocesan bishops and typically come from professional backgrounds including law, medicine, business, teaching, banking, social work, and military service; upon ordination, they return to serve in their sending dioceses.

The core product is the Priestly Formation Program, supported by academic infrastructure (a Learning Center, formation catalog, and accreditation) and by an ecosystem of auxiliary services including a Chapel Livestream, the 'Never Too Late' discernment podcast, First Friday Discernment Visits, Prayer Request submission, and an alumni program spanning 50+ U.S. dioceses. Faculty includes a Rector (Very Rev. Brian R. Kiely), Vice Rector, Academic Dean/Registrar, Director of Spiritual Formation, Director of Pastoral Formation, and professors such as Rev. Msgr. William Fay, Ph.D., and Dr. Christopher Klofft (also recognized by Assumption University).

The business model is a non-profit blend of tuition (which covers approximately half the actual per-seminarian cost of formation), recurring donations (Annual Fund, planned giving, matching gifts, memorial gifts, stock donations), and event-driven fundraising — most notably the annual Lawn Party hosted by the Archbishop of Boston and the annual Golf Tournament at Pine Brook Country Club. The customer base is institutional rather than individual: diocesan bishops and vocation directors act as referring buyers, while individual candidates are pre-screened and sponsored. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed on the website.

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary
Legal name: Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary
Website: https://psjs.edu
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1964
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary is a Roman Catholic seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, providing human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation for men aged 30 and older preparing for priesthood. It serves over 50 U.S. dioceses under a 501(c)(3) model funded by tuition and donations.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary industry classification

Industry

Product category: Catholic Theological Education
NAICS: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Religious Organizations (8131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)
akta.pro primary industry: Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

Keywords

Priestly formation
Catholic seminary education
Graduate theological education
Vocational discernment programs
Ministerial formation

Where Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Weston
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Tuition and Fees: Seminarians pay tuition which covers approximately half the actual cost of their priestly formation. The remaining cost is subsidized through donor support.
Donations and Fundraising: The seminary operates as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Revenue is generated through the Annual Fund, general donations, planned giving, matching gifts, memorial gifts, and stock donations. Federal Tax ID: 04-2324999.
Golf Tournament: The 34th Annual Golf Tournament — 'Fran and Stephen Rowen Memorial' charges $375 per player (includes lunch, 18 holes with cart, door prizes, cocktail hour, silent auction, and dinner). Proceeds bridge the gap between tuition and actual formation costs.
Lawn Party Event: Annual flagship fundraising event hosted by the Archbishop of Boston, featuring sponsorships ranging from $300 individual tickets to $25,000 St. John Vianney Society level. The 40th Annual Lawn Party in 2021 raised a record $385,000.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Unit Pricing	One-time event	Golf Tournament Player Entry

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary delivers residential priestly formation for Catholic men aged 30 and older, integrating human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral dimensions and conferring the Master of Divinity degree. The program prepares mature candidates referred by their dioceses for ordination, supported by auxiliary offerings such as monthly First Friday Discernment Visits, a Chapel Livestream, and the "Never Too Late" podcast.

Product overview

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary is the only American seminary specifically designed for mature candidates aged 30 and older seeking Catholic priesthood. Founded in 1964 and located in Weston, Massachusetts, the seminary offers a comprehensive formation program that integrates human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral development. The institution serves men from various professional backgrounds including law, medicine, business, teaching, and military service. The core product is the Priestly Formation Program, supported by auxiliary services including the Chapel Livestream, First Friday Discernment Visits, and various fundraising events such as the Annual Lawn Party and Golf Tournament. The seminary also provides online tools like Prayer Request Submission and the Never Too Late Podcast for vocation discernment and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Priestly Formation Program (Master of Divinity) Comprehensive residential priestly formation integrating human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral dimensions for Catholic men aged 30 and older, awarded as a Master of Divinity degree and preparing candidates for ordination. Delivered on the Weston, Massachusetts campus for seminarians referred by their dioceses.
First Friday Discernment Visits Monthly on-campus discernment evenings for men considering a priestly vocation, including Holy Hour, Evening Prayer, dinner with seminarians, and an informational session. Co-ordinated by Rev. Msgr. William Fay as a top-of-funnel pathway into the Priestly Formation Program.
Chapel Livestream Live broadcast of the seminary chapel's liturgical services to remote community members, supporters, and discernment candidates, enabling participation in prayer and Mass when not on campus.
Never Too Late Podcast Podcast hosted by Msgr. William Fay for men considering a vocation to the Catholic priesthood later in life, distributed via Grexly; serves as a public-facing vocation recruitment and community engagement channel.

Quantifiable outcome

Eleven deacons returned to their dioceses and were ordained to the priesthood in the Class of 2025
+3 more outcomes

Companies that use Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary

Customer profile

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

Archdiocese of BostoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Most Rev. Richard G. Henning, Archbishop of Boston, presided at the Ministry of Acolyte ceremony where nine men were instituted. Archbishop Henning hosts the annual Lawn Party.
Diocese of Springfield, MassachusettscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025Most Reverend William Byrne, Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, presided over the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for six seminarians at the seminary. The bishop's presence signifies the formal relationship between the seminary and the sending diocese.
Archdiocese of BostoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 September 2021The Archdiocese of Boston, under Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, hosts the annual Lawn Party event and provides episcopal oversight. Cardinal O'Malley serves as the primary host of the seminary's flagship annual fundraising event. Archbishop Richard G. Henning of Boston hosted the 45th Annual Lawn Party.
Diocese of OrlandominorOthersSends seminarians (e.g., Patrick L. Bridges) for priestly formation at the seminary.
Archdiocese of Kansas City in KansasminorOthersSends seminarians (e.g., Jarrad M. Condreay) for priestly formation.
Diocese of Fall RiverminorOthersSends seminarians (e.g., David J. Ferrucci) for priestly formation.
Diocese of Kansas City-St. JosephminorOthersSends seminarians (e.g., Nicolas L. Shump) for priestly formation.
Diocese of GallupminorOthersSends seminarians (e.g., Michael A. Vento) for priestly formation.
Diocese of SavannahminorOthersSends seminarians (e.g., Matthew T. Yogus) for priestly formation.
Diocese of VeniceminorOthersSends seminarians for priestly formation.
Diocese of RaleighminorOthersSends seminarians (e.g., Leonardo Espinosa-Lopez) for priestly formation.
Diocese of ScrantonminorOthersSends seminarians (e.g., Nicholas S. Wasko) for priestly formation.
Archdiocese of HartfordminorOthersSends seminarians (e.g., Daniel M. Werner) for priestly formation.
Prince of Peace AbbeyminorOthersBr. Simeon J. Chung, OSB, from Prince of Peace Abbey is in formation at PSJS, representing a monastic-diocesan partnership.
Archdiocese of the Military Services, USAminorOthersThe Most Reverend Timothy Broglio, Archbishop of the Military Services, USA, presided over the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for nine seminarians in October 2021.
Assumption UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssumption University honored Dr. Christopher Klofft, Adjunct Professor at PSJS, with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Contribution to the Mission. The two institutions share faculty and intellectual traditions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Others

Assumption University: Catholic university in Worcester, MA sharing faculty and intellectual tradition with PSJS (e.g., Dr. Klofft). Adjacent Catholic higher-education peer rather than a direct seminary competitor.

Direct peers

Sacred Heart Major Seminary: Detroit-area Catholic seminary and school of theology offering the M.Div. and lay graduate theology degrees, serving multiple dioceses. Comparable institutional scale and mission to PSJS.
Mount Angel Seminary: Oregon-based Benedictine seminary offering priestly formation with an M.Div. track. Comparable graduate-level residential Catholic seminary serving multiple dioceses.
Mundelein Seminary: Major Archdiocesan seminary of Chicago (University of St. Mary of the Lake), offering the M.Div. and pre-theology for diocesan priesthood. Directly comparable residential Catholic seminary with diocesan sponsorship model.
St. Paul Seminary: University of St. Thomas–affiliated Catholic seminary (St. Paul, MN) forming diocesan priests for the Upper Midwest. Comparable residential graduate seminary model with diocesan sponsorship.
St. John Vianney College Seminary: College-level seminary in Miami, FL serving as a pre-theology feeder for major seminaries. Comparable Catholic priestly formation institution on the same domestic pipeline.
Mount St. Mary's Seminary: A major U.S. Catholic seminary (Emmitsburg, MD) providing priestly formation leading to the M.Div. Comparable to PSJS as a full-time, residential graduate seminary serving dioceses across the U.S.
Pontifical College Josephinum: Pontifical seminary in Columbus, OH providing priestly formation and pontifical degrees. Comparable U.S. Catholic seminary awarding graduate theology/divinity degrees.
St. Mary's Seminary and University: Baltimore-based Catholic seminary offering M.Div. and pre-theology programs, the first U.S. Catholic seminary (founded 1791). Directly comparable in mission and degree offerings to PSJS.

Broad incumbents

The Catholic University of America – School of Theology and Religious Studies: Larger pontifical university school offering the M.Div. and graduate theology degrees, including for lay students. Comparable degree-granting institution in priestly and ministerial formation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary

What does Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary do?

Is Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary a public or private company?

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary founded?

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary was founded in 1964. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary based?

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary is headquartered in Weston, United States, in the North America region.

How does Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising, golf Tournament and lawn Party Event.

Who are Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary's main competitors?

Assumption University is listed as an others. Direct peers are Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Mount Angel Seminary, Mundelein Seminary, St. Paul Seminary, St. John Vianney College Seminary, Mount St. Mary's Seminary, Pontifical College Josephinum and St. Mary's Seminary and University. The Catholic University of America – School of Theology and Religious Studies is listed as a broad incumbent.

Does Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary have an API?

No public API is recorded for Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary.

What industry is Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in?

Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary's product category is Catholic Theological Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAKAA, Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry). Its NAICS code is 6113.