St Mary Theotokos Theological Seminary has been established in Texas under the leadership of its Dean, the Apostolic Episcopal Church Provincial of the South/Catholicate of the West Exarch of the USA Mar Thoma (The Most Revd. Thomas Orville Gore). The Seminary has now been granted a religious exemption from private school licensing by the Board of Higher Education and the Texas Workforce Commission, on the basis that it offers only religious study programmes, and awards one religious degree, that of Master of Divinity.

Although the Seminary is an online educational endeavour, it will  still have a physical presence at 1219 16th Street, Lubbock, TX 79410, in a building which is currently being reconstructed after a severe electrical fire over a year ago. The building is owned by the Gore Family Trust, which leases it at a peppercorn rent to The Anglican Heritage Society, Inc, which is the owner of the Seminary. As was the case before the fire, the building will provide an Office for the Dean, a Theological Lending Library to serve on-line students, and St. Joseph Chapel, for on-campus liturgical training and for the Bishop’s use; plus accommodations for overnight visitors, and visiting clergy.

The Seminary is charter-affiliated with the Order of Franciscans of the Eucharist; and has a full relationship of recognition and credit transfer with the other seminary of the AEC/Catholicate of the West, The Western Orthodox University, which holds religious exemption from private school licensing in the State of Hawaii, USA.

These developments aim to increase the support for men who are candidates for Holy Orders in our church sponsored by their Ordinary. At some future date, a programme for men or women wanting to qualify as Lay Ministers of the Church is envisioned. The seminary programme will also prepare candidates for Chaplaincy Endorsement.

The Anglican Historical Society, Inc., will provide “St. John Vianney Scholarships” to financially-challenged  seminarians. As is already the policy of the Western Orthodox University, no student will be turned away for financial reasons.