University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 11-1-2013 Universal Goals & Local Application: Theological Field Education at St. John Vianney Seminary Germaine Bruno University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Other Religion Commons Recommended Citation Bruno, Germaine, "Universal Goals & Local Application: Theological Field Education at St. John Vianney Seminary" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 95. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/95 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. UNIVERSAL GOALS & LOCAL APPLICATION: THEOLOGICAL FIELD EDUCATION AT ST. JOHN VIANNEY SEMINARY __________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Morgridge College of Education University of Denver __________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy __________ by Germaine Bruno November 2013 Advisor: Dr. Kimberly Hartnett-Edwards ©Copyright by Germaine Bruno 2013 All Rights Reserved Author: Germaine M. Bruno Title: UNIVERSAL GOALS & LOCAL APPLICATION: THEOLOGICAL FIELD EDUCATION AT ST. JOHN VIANNEY SEMINARY Advisor: Dr. Kimberly Hartnett-Edwards Degree Date: November 2013 Abstract This study presents a curriculum history of theological field education at Denver‟s Roman Catholic seminary, St. John Vianney. The study utilizes archival material and the historical method to construct an educational historiography of the evolution and development of theological field curricula from 1910-2010. The research questions focus on two areas: the role of the Catholic Church in shaping seminary curricula and the adaptation and application of these Church guidelines by practitioners in the local context. The study utilizes the conceptual tools of Kelly Ritter (2009) to analyze the findings in the light of socio-historical forces which shape curricula. According to Ritter‟s conceptualization, socio-historical processes have a greater impact on curricula than “theoretical research-based arguments” (p. 19). The role of the Church in providing prescriptive guidelines for curricula in Catholic seminaries and the application and adaption of these prescriptions in the local context “opens the possibility of generating new conceptual frameworks” and “adds an important dimension to curriculum history” (Kliebard, 1992, p. xiii). ii Acknowledgements I wish to express my sincere appreciation and heartfelt gratitude to those with whom I have had the privilege and pleasure to work in this lengthy process. I would especially like to thank Dr. Kimberly Hartnett-Edwards, my dissertation advisor as well as Dr. Richard Kitchen and Dr. Bruce Uhrmacher, my committee members, and Dr. Edith King, my first advisor, for your support, encouragement and guidance. You will always remain in my thoughts and prayers. iii Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction .................................................................................................. 1 Establishment of a Catholic Diocese in Colorado .................................................. 1 Institution of Denver‟s Seminary ............................................................................ 2 First and Second Expansion ....................................................................... 3 Seminary Reorganization ............................................................................ 4 Overview of Theological Field Programs in Seminary Education ......................... 5 Pastoral Field Programs in Catholic Seminaries in the Modern Era ...................... 6 Broadening Educational Scholarship Through Curriculum History ....................... 8 Potential Value of this Study for Educational Discourse………………….9 Unique Value of Curriculum History Scholarship.................................... 11 Relevance of Seminary Curriculum History: Filling a Literature Gap......13 Organization of this Study .................................................................................... 15 Chapter Two: Literature Review ...................................................................................... 16 From 1563: Historical Roots of Catholic Seminary Education ............................ 18 European Influences on Seminary Education in the United States ....................... 22 The Americanist Era in Catholic Seminary Education ......................................... 24 First Half of the 20th Century: Implementing Roman Direction .......................... 31 New Directions in Seminary Education: Second Vatican Council ....................... 36 Influence of Contextual Approaches in Field Education: 21st Century ................ 40 Chapter Three: Methods ................................................................................................... 47 Rationale for Historical Research in Education .................................................... 47 Historical Method for Qualitative Inquiry ............................................................ 50 Elements of Effective Historical and Archival Method ........................................ 52 Primary Source Materials ..................................................................................... 53 Limitations of Primary Source Materials .................................................. 55 Institutional Materials ............................................................................... 56 Personal Materials ..................................................................................... 57 Visusal Sources ......................................................................................... 58 Archival Sedimentation of Primary Sources ............................................. 58 Archival Research Methodology for an Educational Study ................................. 60 Accessing Primary Sources for this Study ................................................ 61 Taxonomic Approach for Archival Research ........................................... 62 Archival Tool Kits .................................................................................... 64 Interpretation of Source Material in Archival Research ........................... 66 Use of the Historical Method to Address Research Questions in this Study ........ 68 Using Archival Material for Analysis ....................................................... 68 Implementation of Taxonomic Research Strategy in this Study .............. 69 Organizational Strategy for Archival Data Collection.............................. 71 Parameters of this Study ........................................................................... 72 Limits and Rewards of Archival Research ........................................................... 73 iv Chapter Four: Findings & Analysis .................................................................................. 74 Part I: Socio-historical Evolution of Seminary Field Curricula: 1910-1969 .................... 74 Early Prototypes of Seminary Field Education: 1920s & 1930s .......................... 76 Field Experiences in Evangelization & Education: 1940s & 1950s ..................... 79 Evangelization Apostolates: Motor Missions ....................................................... 81 Education Apostolates: "All are to be teachers…" ............................................... 84 Moving Toward Formal Theological Field Education: 1960s .............................. 91 Part II: Socio-historical Evolution of Seminary Field Curricula: 1970-2010 ................... 95 Field Education as Part of Formal Curricula: 1970s ............................................. 97 Field Education Addresses Multicultural Ministry: 1980s ................................. 105 Vincentian Institute for Pastoral Studies: 1990s ................................................. 110 Seminary Field Education in the 21st Century: 2000-2010 ................................. 112 Part III: Seminary Curriculum History in Light of Definition, Location, Tradition....... 123 Definition in Curriculum History ........................................................................ 123 Location in Curriculum History .......................................................................... 135 Tradition in Curriculum History ......................................................................... 141 Chapter Five: Summary & Discussion ........................................................................... 146 Summary ............................................................................................................. 146 Reflection on Findings Relative to the Research Literature ............................... 149 Limitations of the Study...................................................................................... 155 Implications & Research Suggested by this Curriculum History Study ............. 156 For the Future of Education: "History Matters" ................................................. 164 References ....................................................................................................................... 166 Appendix A ..................................................................................................................... 175 Appendix B ....................................................................................................................