Formation

St. Francis Center for Priestly Formation

St. Francis Center for Priestly Formation, located on the University of San Diego campus, comprises both the Office for Priestly Formation of the Diocese of San Diego and a house of formation for men preparing for admission to a seminary school of theology.

The Office for Priestly Formation administers the diocesan program of priestly formation for both pre-seminarian and seminarian candidates according to the norms set forth by the Program of Priestly Formation of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

As a house of formation, St. Francis Center, helps prepare men in each of the four areas of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral for admission to a seminary school of theology. In the human and spiritual areas this is accomplished through community life together, the mentoring of priests and other staff members, the discipline of personal and communal prayer, retreats and other programs of spiritual enrichment and regular spiritual direction. Intellectually, candidates prepare for admission to graduate level theology studies by earning a bachelor’s degree with a major in philosophy and a minor in undergraduate theology. Those candidates who have already earned a bachelor’s degree must satisfy the philosophy and theology requirements if their degrees were in other disciplines. This is normally accomplished at the University of San Diego. In the pastoral area each candidate is assigned to an apostolate at The Immaculata Parish on the USD campus, where the Director of Priestly Formation is pastor.

Once a candidate is accepted into a seminary school of theology the Office for Priestly Formation collaborates with the theologate in the seminarian’s formation including the assignment of parish internships and other pastoral experiences and in scheduling annual assemblies and one convocation for all the seminarians and pre-seminarians of the diocese.

Candidates/Seminarians

Fall 2023 Theology

NameBirthdateParishSeminaryYear in Theology
Nicholas DunnApr 26St. Margaret, OceansideSFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego1st
Sean EmburyMay 17St. Gabriel, PowaySFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego 4th
Brian FrullaSep 30Resurrection, EscondidoSFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego PY* St. Michael's, Poway3rd
Anthony JimenezAug 8Holy Trinity, El CajonSFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego PY* St. Therese, Allied Gardens3rd
Jesse LopezMay 9The Immaculata, San Diego
SFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego PY* Our Lady of Grace, El Cajon3rd
John MurckoJun 22St. Timothy, EscondidoSFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego1st
Kyle Schanzenbach
Aug 22St. Thomas More, Oceanside
SFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego PY* Sacred Heart, Coronado3rd
*Pastoral Year

Fall 2023 College/ Pre-Theology

NameBirthdateParishYear in ProgramAcademic Standing
Matthew JunkerJan 17The Immaculata, San DiegoUSD/ Pre-Theology1st
Liam Cruz KellySep 3San Rafael, San DiegoUSD/ Pre-Theology1st
Francisco LopezAug 20St. Stephen, Valley CenterUSD/ Senior3rd
Ralph MarinasApr 21Good Shepherd, San DiegoUSD/ Pre-Theology1st
Elias RashidiDec 16Santa Sophia, Spring ValleyUSD/ Junior2nd
Daniel YaoJun 22San Diego Mission de Alcala, San DiegoUSD/ Pre-Theology1st

Addresses: St. Francis Center/FST 1667 Santa Paula Drive San Diego, CA 92111-6810 619-291-7446 North American College 00120 Vatican City State Italy Mt. Angel Seminary 1 Abbey Drive St. Benedict, OR 97373-9700

Theologates

Contacts

Very Rev. Matthew Spahr
Director for Priestly Formation
Phone: (619) 291-7446
mspahrEmail at symbolsdcatholic.org
Laura Martin-Spencer
Director of Pastoral Formation
Phone: (619) 291-7446
lmartin-spencerEmail at symbolsdcatholic.org
Carmel Maglalang
Administrative Assistant
Phone: (858) 490-8389
cmaglalangEmail at symbolsdcatholic.org
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