MTSM Declared Historical Site

The International Order of Alhambra declared Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West, currently known as Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology (MTSM), an American Catholic Historical Site during a dedication ceremony last night.

William Harper Bennett founded the Order of Alhambra in 1904, in Brooklyn, New York as a Catholic fraternal and social association. One of the original purposes of the Order is memorializing Catholic historical sites, individuals and events. The Order has established more than 160 Catholic memorials in the United States and Canada.

“Memorializing Catholic sites, events and individuals helps foster appreciation for our rich faith and heritage among generations of current and future Catholics,” said Jim Sterley, Supreme Director of the Order of the Alhambra. “The priests ordained at Mount St Mary’s have helped spread our Catholic faith all over the United States. Maintaining, memorializing and sharing the rich history of a site like Mount St. Mary’s provides incentive to the community to persevere the mission to evangelize and spread our faith.”

Historical Overview

The oldest Catholic seminary west of the Allegheny Mountains, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West was founded in 1829 by Edward D. Fenwick, the first bishop of Cincinnati. Offering theological and philosophical studies, the seminary, known first as St. Francis Xavier, was renamed in 1851 to honor the Blessed Mother.

To prepare students to enter Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, St. Gregory’s Seminary was founded on the current site in 1890. When St. Gregory’s moved downtown, Mount St. Mary’s was relocated to this property in 1904, remaining until 1923. St. Gregory’s then returned, resulting in the construction of the present main building. Mount St. Mary’s relocated here in 1981. A new residential building, Fenwick Hall, was dedicated in 2019.

MTSM is the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s graduate-level Catholic Seminary and School of Theology with nearly 200 full and part-time students. Our 75-acre campus provides preparation for ordination to the priesthood and permanent diaconate as part of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. In addition, our School of Theology offers classes for graduate, non-degree and certification programs for laity, clergy, and religious.

For additional information about MTSM please contact advancement@athenaeum.edu or 513-231-2223.