What St. Augustine's Seminary does

St. Augustine's Seminary of Toronto is the major Catholic seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, founded in 1913 and incorporated by Act of the Provincial Legislature of Ontario in 1983. It serves as the principal formation institution for Catholic priests, permanent deacons, lay ministers, and graduate theology students. Recruitment occurs through diocesan sponsorship: candidates are sponsored by bishops or ecclesiastical superiors from at least five jurisdictions (Archdioceses of Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa-Cornwall, and Washington, plus the Diocese of Peterborough). The institution is governed by the Archbishop of Toronto in the role of Chancellor, with no venture, equity, or public capital structures involved in its operation.

The seminary delivers an integrated portfolio of academic degrees (Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Religious Education, Ecclesiastical Baccalaureate of Sacred Theology, and a two-year Licentiate in Theology and Patristic Studies), diploma programs (Philosophy, Theological Studies, Lay Ministry), and post-baccalaureate certificates (Conjoint Certificate in Theological Studies, Conjoint Certificate in Theology and Interreligious Engagement). Academic delivery runs on the University of Toronto's learning ecosystem—Quercus (LMS), Populi (student information), ACORN (student portal)—with in-person, hybrid, and synchronous online modalities. A specialized library of over 55,000 Roman Catholic theology volumes supplements access to the University of Toronto Libraries system of 12+ million print volumes.

As a non-profit ecclesiastical institution, revenue is generated through tuition and academic fees, diocesan sponsorship of seminarians, donations (including ShareLife, a funded agency of the Archdiocese, and alumni contributions), and philanthropic grants such as the October 2025 Lilly Endowment Inc. award of $979,659 to establish a Human and Spiritual Formation Program for Lay Leaders. The academic operation is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (since 1980; reaccredited for a 10-year period in 2022) and was granted Vatican Ecclesiastical Faculty status, sui iuris, in February 2022, enabling independent ecclesiastical degree-conferral. The seminary is a founding charter member (1969) of the Toronto School of Theology consortium, conferring conjoint degrees with the University of Toronto under agreements dating to 1978 and most recently renewed in 2022.

Name

St. Augustine's Seminary

Legal name

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto (operating St. Augustine's Seminary of Toronto)

Website

https://staugustines.on.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

St. Augustine's Seminary of Toronto, founded in 1913, is the major Catholic seminary for the Archdiocese of Toronto. It provides priestly formation, permanent diaconate training, and graduate theological degrees, serving sponsored seminarians, deacons, and lay students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education / Religious Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Divinity Schools (University-Affiliated) (EDAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Priestly formation
• Catholic seminary
• Graduate theology degrees
• Lay ministry formation

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue from tuition fees for degree programs (M.Div., M.T.S., M.R.E., S.T.L.), diploma programs, and certificate programs for both conjoint and non-conjoint students. Application fees of $25.00 apply.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Donations from alumni, parishes, and supporters. Annual fundraising gala dinners. Funded by ShareLife as a funded agency of the Archdiocese of Toronto. Received $979,659 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for Human and Spiritual Formation Program for Lay Leaders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

St. Augustine's Seminary is the Major Seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, offering integrated priestly formation (spiritual, human, theological, and pastoral) for candidates preparing for ordination, as well as a permanent diaconate formation program. The seminary delivers academic degree programs including Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Religious Education, Ecclesiastical Baccalaureate of Sacred Theology, and the Licentiate in Theology and Patristic Studies, alongside diplomas and certificates for lay ministers and graduate students, delivered in-person, online, and hybrid.

Product overview

St. Augustine's Seminary of Toronto offers a comprehensive suite of theological education and formation programs centered on Catholic priestly formation. The portfolio includes multiple degree programs (Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Religious Education, Licentiate in Theology and Patristic Studies), diploma programs (Diploma in Philosophy, Diploma in Theological Studies, Diploma in Lay Ministry), certificate programs (Conjoint Certificate in Theological Studies, Conjoint Certificate in Theology and Interreligious Engagement), and specialized formation tracks for priesthood and permanent diaconate. The seminary operates the Institute of Theology for continuing education, maintains a library with access to University of Toronto Libraries resources, and operates Serra House as a satellite vocations/discernment center. Programs are delivered in-person and through hybrid/online modalities, with accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and ecclesiastical recognition from the Holy See.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Priestly Formation Program Integrated formation program for men preparing for Catholic priesthood in the Archdiocese of Toronto, encompassing spiritual, human, theological education, and field training within a diocesan ministerial context. Delivered at the main Toronto campus through the Ecclesiastical Faculty of Theology.
• Permanent Diaconate Formation Program Formation program preparing candidates for ordination as permanent deacons for the Archdiocese of Toronto, including a propaedeutic year of discernment followed by four years of formation, aligned with the National Directory for the Ministry, Formation and Life of Permanent Deacons in Canada (CCCB), 2017.
• Institute of Theology Continuing education and formation programs including day-long workshops, certificates, diplomas, and master's degrees in theology for parish ministers, Catholic educators, charity workers, and lay faithful seeking to deepen their faith understanding. Offers flexible in-person, online, and hybrid course formats.
• Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Thirty-course degree preparing candidates for ordained priesthood and lay ministry in the Catholic Church, incorporating theological education and pastoral formation through field education. ATS-accredited degree.
• Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) Twenty-course degree providing basic understanding of theological disciplines for general educational purposes or future graduate study, with focus in one specific area and thesis or summative project option. ATS-accredited degree.
• Master of Religious Education (M.R.E.) Professional leadership degree in educational ministry within the Catholic ecclesial tradition, building capacity for critical theological reflection on content and processes of educational ministry. ATS-accredited degree.
• Ecclesiastical Baccalaureate of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) Academic ecclesiastical degree conferred by the Holy See, preparing candidates for priesthood with comprehensive theological foundation meeting ecclesiastical requirements. Authorized since 1996.
• Licentiate in Theology and Patristic Studies (S.T.L.) Two-year graduate program with fourteen mandatory courses plus thesis (tesina), specializing in theology, literature, history and philosophy of the early Church and Late Antiquity, offered by the Ecclesiastical Faculty of Theology. Available in-person and through synchronous online modalities.
• Diploma in Philosophy Two-semester, ten-course diploma fulfilling philosophy requirements for theology study per Veritatis Gaudium, part of the two-year pre-theology program for ordination candidates. Available in-person and online.
• Diploma in Theological Studies (D.T.S.) Non-degree program in theology for structured investigation of the Catholic faith tradition, completable fully online, with core and elective course requirements.
• Diploma in Lay Ministry (D.L.M.) Seven core courses plus three electives for lay ministers to enhance ministry through theological education, completable online except for the capstone course.
• Conjoint Certificate in Theological Studies (C.T.S.) Post-baccalaureate certificate with seven courses from historic theological subdisciplines, completable entirely online starting September 2025.
• Conjoint Certificate in Theology and Interreligious Engagement (C.T.I.E.) Seven-course post-baccalaureate certificate exploring religious diversity and dialogue practices between religions, focusing on Christianity and two other religions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 priests ordained and serving since 1913
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 1978Agreement since 1978 (renewed 1983, 1989, 2001, 2004, 2014, 2022) for TST federation to foster academic excellence. Degrees granted conjointly with U of T. Students have access to U of T libraries including Robarts Library and electronic resources. T-card serves as library card for entire system.
• Toronto School of Theology (TST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding and charter member of TST consortium (established 1969) comprising seven theological colleges. TST provides shared academic timetable, library facilities access, and cooperative resource sharing. St. Augustine's cooperates especially in Theological Department (Systematics and Ethics) with other Roman Catholic colleges (Regis, St. Michael's) to fulfill Holy See and Canadian Bishops requirements.
• Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Roman CuriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVatican authority authorized St. Augustine's to confer ecclesiastical degrees since 1996. In 2022, approved petition for Ecclesiastical Faculty status (sui iuris), allowing independent degree conferral including Licentiate in Theology and Patristic Studies.
• Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccrediting body for theological schools. St. Augustine's received full accredited membership in 1980 (first diocesan seminary in Canada) and was reaccredited for 10-year period in 2022. ATS Commission contact: 10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275.
• Archdiocese of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent ecclesiastical organization. Archbishop Thomas Collins serves as Chancellor of Seminary. Seminary provides formation for priests and deacons for the Archdiocese. ShareLife funding agency. Co-hosts events including Saint Monica Institute for Education and Evangelization launch.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Boston College School of Theology and Ministry: R.C. theological school at a major Jesuit research university offering M.Div., M.T.S., and lay ministry programs with ATS accreditation; broader institution but overlapping theological offerings and degree pathways.
• Catholic University of America, School of Theology and Religious Studies: Larger, research-oriented Catholic theological school in Washington, D.C. offering ecclesiastically-recognized degrees and serving both priestly and lay students; broader portfolio but overlapping offerings.

Direct peers

• St. Peter's Seminary (London, Ontario): Catholic diocesan seminary in Ontario offering priestly and diaconate formation. Comparable in geography (Canadian Catholic seminary) and ATS-accredited academic programming.
• St. Joseph's Seminary and College (Yonkers, NY): Roman Catholic major seminary in the Archdiocese of New York offering priestly formation and ecclesiastical degrees. Direct comparable along product (M.Div., S.T.B., S.T.L.), governance (diocesan), and customer (seminarians across North America).
• Mount St. Mary's Seminary (Emmitsburg, MD): Major seminary of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the oldest Catholic seminary in the U.S. Offers priestly formation, theological degrees, and ATS-accredited programs; directly comparable in mission and offerings.
• University of Saint Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary: Major seminary of the Archdiocese of Chicago delivering priestly formation and graduate theology degrees with Vatican-conferred ecclesiastical degrees. Closely analogous operating model and curriculum.
• Regis College (Toronto School of Theology): Jesuit theological college within the same TST consortium and University of Toronto federation; offers conjoint M.Div., M.T.S., M.R.E., and S.T.L. with overlapping course delivery and library access.
• St. Michael's College Faculty of Theology (Toronto): Roman Catholic theological faculty at the University of Toronto and TST consortium member. Shares academic timetable, library facilities, and conjoint degree pathways; cooperates with St. Augustine's in Systematics and Ethics.

Regional players

• Newman Theological College (Edmonton): Catholic theological school offering theology degrees, diaconal formation, and lay ministry programs in Western Canada. Comparable product mix but geographically distinct from Toronto.
• Pontifical Faculty of Theology (Université Laval): French-language Catholic ecclesiastical faculty in Quebec affiliated with Université Laval offering canonically recognized theology degrees. Comparable mission but Francophone and provincial.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StAugustinesTO
• Facebookfacebook.com/StAugustinesTO

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about St. Augustine's Seminary