Blessing of St. Augustine’s Seminary Serra House Building

On August 28, 2023, His Grace, Archbishop Francis Leo blessed the St. Augustine’s Seminary Serra House building and consecrated the chapel’s new altar at a special mass. This event coincided perfectly with the commencement of the new academic and formation year at St. Augustine’s Seminary.

During the consecration ceremony, Archbishop Francis Leo said, “What a joy it is to gather and celebrate the Holy Mass on this Feast of St. Augustine. We waited a long time for this day! I want to thank all the people who made this possible.”

As a seminary community, we gather in the chapel to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. We also gather for adoration, personal prayer, and devotion. Here, we experience the presence of Jesus, who feeds us with his word, body, and blood.

“Before we bless people, places and things, we bless God, the author and source of all blessings,” Archbishop Leo continued.

The restoration of Serra House was made possible through the generous contributions of donors who support the Seminary and its mission, offering both financial support and heartfelt prayers.

The unique location and the smaller design of Serra House are meant to foster a greater sense of fraternity and community life. Its location downtown is also ideal for seminarians working on an undergraduate degree.

This downtown location will accommodate seminarians in the initial stage of formation (discipleship stage – philosophy and undergraduate studies). All men residing at Serra House are considered full seminarians and receive a complete formation program dedicated to the diocesan priesthood.

The revitalization process began in 2017 involving demolishing a deteriorated section at the rear of Serra House. During this period, seminarians relocated to St. Augustine’s Seminary.

To learn more about the Serra House building, we encourage you to visit the Serra House webpage.

A full gallery of photos from the event can be viewed here.