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 2022 Theology

NameBirthdateParishSeminaryYear in Theology
Christ BongatoOct 24Mater Dei, Chula VistaSFC/Franciscan School of Theology, San Diego4th
Evan BuiOct 2Holy Family, San DiegoSFC/Franciscan School of Theology, San Diego4th
Sean EmburyMay 17St. Gabriel, PowaySFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego
PY*: St. Martin's, La Mesa
3rd
Brian FrullaSep 30Resurrection, EscondidoSFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego2nd
Marc GandolfoAug 23St. Francis of Assisi, VistaMt. Angel Seminary St. Benedict, OR4th
Anthony JimenezAug 8Holy Trinity, El CajonSFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego2nd
Jesse LopezMay 9The Immaculata, San Diego
SFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego2nd
Kyle Schanzenbach
Aug 22St. Thomas More, Oceanside
SFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego
2nd
Matthew VasquezMar 30Mary, Star of the Sea, La JollaSFC/ Franciscan School of Theology San Diego4th
*Pastoral Year

Fall 2022 College/ Pre-Theology

NameBirthdateParishYear in ProgramAcademic Standing
Nicholas Dunn
Apr 26St. Margaret, Oceanside
USD/ Senior2nd
Francisco LopezAug 20St. Stephen, Valley CenterUSD / Junior2nd
John MurckoJun 22St. Timothy, EscondidoUSD/ Pre-Theology2nd
Elias RashidiDec 16Santa Sophia, Spring ValleyMesa / Junior1st

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
Kirsten Hadzicki
Administrative Assistant
Phone: (858)-490-8389
KhadzickiEmail at symbolsdcatholic.org
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