A three century old institution at the service of the Church of Québec.
MISSION
The Grand Séminaire has, as a primary objective, to prepare pastors for the diocesan Church. The activities of discernment and training encompass all the dimensions of the human person (human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral) and aim at the integration of the personality around the life project: to become a pastor according to the heart of Christ.
HISTORY
The Grand Séminaire de Québec was born on March 26, 1663, when the Blessed François de Laval (1623-1708), first bishop of Québec, founded the Society of Priests of the Séminaire de Québec, a community of diocesan priests that was to "serve as clergy" for the young Church of New France and assure its evangelization.
The foundation act of the Society of Priests of the Séminaire de Québec specifies that one of the missions of this community of priests will be the training of future priests, in order "to elevate and prepare the young clerics who will seem apt to the service of God" (Act of Foundation of the Séminaire de Québec).
The history of the Grand Séminaire de Québec and that of the Séminaire de Québec are therefore closely related.
Very early, it was necessary to share out the manpower. In addition to the pastoral mission in the parishes, it was necessary to create, together with the Grand Séminaire, a Minor Seminary (Petit Séminaire) which was organized on October 9, 1668 in conformity with the will of the Council of Trent.
The years passed and after the conquest, the priests of the Seminary, while conserving the responsibility of the Grand Séminaire and the Petit Séminaire, founded Laval University in 1852. A new institution was born in the midst of the mother institution.
A WORD FROM THE SUPERIOR OF THE MAJOR SEMINARY
Hello and welcome to you coming to visit us. Our website is intended to be an open door both to our institution of training for the priesthood and to the training community that we (seminarians and members of the training team) constitute as we walk together in the steps of the one shepherd, Christ Jesus. We hope you will find on our website elements of information that will interest you as well as certain answers to questions you might have concerning the preparation to a priestly ministry that is adapted to the realities of the beginning of this third millenium. In order to learn more, do not hesitate to communicate with us.
Enjoy your visit!
Fr. Mario Côté Superior of the Grand Séminaire de Québec April 12, 2005.
