The Society of the Priests of Saint Sulpice
We have an uncommon name and a unique mission: we are the only Roman Catholic diocesan priests in the world with the sole responsibility of educating, guiding, and supporting fellow priests.
Since 1641, we have dedicated ourselves to assisting bishops by providing seminary education and ongoing formation of our fellow priests. In the United States, most of our energy is devoted to operating seminaries and programs of continuing formation. We also operate seminaries in Zambia and Malawi in Central Africa.
While we belong to an association known as The Society of Saint Sulpice, our connection to 7th century French bishop Saint Sulpice is indirect. Our founder, Father Olier, did not want to establish a specific religious congregation or order, so he named the Society and its first seminary for the Paris parish where he was pastor: The Church of Saint Sulpice.
Below, Fr. Thomas Ulshafer, PSS, offers a video invitation to learn more by browsing this site.
Our Ministry Around the World
Today, you can find U.S. Sulpicians teaching in seminaries in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Texas, Zambia, and Malawi. As instructors, spiritual directors and mentors they guide future priests. They offer timely feedback and support for seminarians in their first pastoral placements. They facilitate ongoing workshops and training to further educate and foster greater spirituality in more seasoned diocesan priests. In fact, the Sulpicians are engaged in every aspect of formation—human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral—just as they were in 1641.
In the U.S., three seminaries, four programs of continuing formation, a spiritual center, a parish, and a retirement community have been established with the Sulpician goal in mind: to develop, educate, form, and nurture priests and future priests.
From the priests we teach, to the parishes in which they serve, to the people they support, the presence of Sulpician ministries affects communities large and small around the world.
Praesidium Accreditation
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Praesidium Accreditation™ publicly demonstrates that Society of St. Sulpice, Province of the U.S., has achieved the highest industry standards in abuse prevention and response. Click on the titles below to download our publications.
Did You Know?
The Sulpicians, in 1791, established the first Roman Catholic seminary in the United States: St. Mary’s Seminary, Paca Street.