Cardinal Stafford Library at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary Completes Comprehensive Renovation
- Sheryl Tirol
- 5 hours ago
- 5 min read
Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila blessed the newly renovated Cardinal Stafford Library at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver last week, celebrating a four-and-a-half-year transformation that has converted an outdated space into a vibrant center for Catholic intellectual life and spiritual formation.
The ceremony marked the completion of extensive renovations designed to create an inviting environment where seminarians can engage with sacred texts, conduct research and participate in intellectual dialogue. The project was funded by the Moore Family Foundation, with friends John and Carol Saeman donating the Heritage Edition of The Saint John's Bible, composed of seven volumes, to the library's gallery.
"Today, as we gather, we give thanks to the Lord for this great gift," Archbishop Aquila said during the blessing ceremony. "It is much more beautiful, it is updated, and it is a place where the seminarians can truly meditate upon the word of God and really open their hearts to that word."
His Eminence J. Francis Cardinal Stafford was in attendance to give thanks for the enhanced library facilities. Cardinal Stafford stated, “The wonder of God’s beauty is revealed in the Eucharist and other sacraments. Such wonder is also awakened by the Word of God. It includes the Liturgy of Hours, literature, art, sacred vessels and other holy books. Jacques Benedict, the architect of the seminary, bridged beauty, craftsmanship and sacred purpose. He lifts our eyes and spirit upward towards God. I hope that the new additions will enrich the library and will further enrich each person’s Catholic imagination, drawing each of them closer to the mystery of our Trinitarian God and His love.”
The renovation addressed a fundamental challenge facing seminary education: creating spaces encouraging contemplation and collaboration. Previously, the library struggled to attract students beyond basic book checkout, with many seminarians viewing it as a pass-through rather than a destination for serious study and reflection.
"I used to come in the library and it was empty," said Molly Moore, who serves on the seminary board. "Guys would come in, they'd get their books, and they'd leave. And I thought, this is a treasure, why don't they stay?"
That experience was the catalyst to refresh the library and dedicate a gallery to sacred art, literature and beyond.
The transformation focused on practical improvements that enhance the student experience. Simple additions like providing pencils and tissues at each desk addressed basic needs that encourage sustained study. Then, on a larger scale, the space was redesigned to reduce noise and distractions, creating distinct areas for different types of academic work.
"One day, a seminarian said, 'Could we get some pencils and some Kleenex?'" Moore recalled. "It sounds like such a little thing, but it was a big thing for them to be able to have an inspiration for a book and write it down immediately."
A critical component of the renovation involved properly housing the seminary's rare books collection, previously stored under water pipes in precarious conditions. These valuable texts now reside in a climate-controlled rare books room with proper archival storage, making them accessible to students and researchers while ensuring their preservation.
"The rare books that we have are treasures, and we are the blessed custodians of these rare books, which are available to anybody who wants to work with them," Moore said. "They can not check them out, but they can come and archivally use them as theological resources."
(Photos by Emily Redwood/Denver Catholic)
The St. John's Gallery is the centerpiece of the renovation. Seven archival display cases house the Saint John's Bible, an illuminated manuscript created by calligrapher Donald Jackson and curator Tim Ternes. The hand-calligraphed biblical text, acquired by John and Carol Saeman, can now be viewed by seminarians and visitors with pages changed weekly, providing ongoing exposure to sacred art and Scripture.
The new display system represents a significant improvement over the previous arrangement, which was difficult to access and rarely opened for viewing. Now, students can regularly encounter these masterworks as part of their daily library experience, integrating visual beauty with textual study.
The renovation required substantial structural work, including installing I-beams in the ceiling to support the relocated rare books collection. These behind-the-scenes improvements ensure the library can properly serve its academic mission for generations of future priests and laity.
The enhanced library complements the seminary, creating what organizers call "an intellectual bookend" to the worship space. This pairing of prayer and study spaces reflects the integrated approach to priestly formation that combines spiritual development with rigorous academic preparation.
“We are so fortunate to have Archbishop Aquila bless the Cardinal Stafford Library. Someone who had been in the library three years ago wouldn’t recognize it today,” said Jennifer Murphy, executive library manager. “Thanks to the generosity of the Moore Foundation, it’s become a beautiful and welcoming space for the seminarians. Also, our beautiful St. John’s Gallery is complete and will be the focus of a new series of exhibits and lectures."
Future programming will further activate the space through the Catholic Imagination Series, a lecture program featuring speakers who discuss faith and culture. The inaugural resource, Cardinal Stafford, will offer reflections on the Catholic Imagination next Tuesday, September 23, in a private but livestreamed event. The Cardinal Stafford Library is honored to host Tim Ternes in April to speak about the process of creating The Saint John's Bible.
The gallery display cases will rotate exhibitions, featuring The Saint John's Bible and works from Georges Rouault's "Miserere et Guerre," considered one of the most important religious art portfolios of the 20th century. This rotating exhibition approach transforms the library into what organizers describe as "a living, breathing art gallery, a place to encounter truth and beauty and goodness and God."
The project reflects broader efforts to enhance St. John Vianney Seminary for a more vibrant seminary culture in Colorado.
Seminary education faces unique challenges in the digital age, as institutions work to create physical spaces that compete with online resources while fostering the personal relationships essential to priestly formation. The Cardinal Stafford Library renovation represents one approach to this challenge, emphasizing beauty, accessibility and community.
Archbishop Aquila underscored the library's role in future priestly formation during the blessing ceremony, noting that the space will impact "ongoing generations" of seminarians. "We need to understand that this is all for the future and for the glory of the Father and for the gift of salvation offered to us in Jesus," he said.
The library serves not only current seminarians but also visiting scholars, clergy seeking continuing education and lay Catholics interested in accessing rare theological texts. This broader mission reflects the seminary's role as a resource for the entire archdiocese.
The renovation team deliberately chose to create spaces that encourage different types of engagement with texts and ideas. Quiet study areas allow for individual research and prayer, while more open spaces accommodate group discussion and collaborative projects.
For seminary educators, the enhanced library addresses a longstanding need for a space that matches the quality of the institution's academic programs. The renovation creates an environment where students can conduct serious theological research while remaining connected to the beauty and tradition of Catholic intellectual life.
The Cardinal Stafford Library serves as a religious, intellectual and cultural resource. The library is named for J. Francis Cardinal Stafford, former archbishop of Denver from 1986 to 1996 and later Apostolic Penitentiary at the Vatican. As archbishop, Cardinal Stafford was a dedicated supporter of Catholic education and helped establish St. John Vianney Seminary on the former site of St. Thomas Seminary.
The renovated Cardinal Stafford Library now stands as a tribute to the cardinal who served the Denver archdiocese and as a practical resource for current and future seminarians. It embodies a vision of education that integrates rigorous scholarship with spiritual formation in the service of Catholic intellectual tradition.
"This is not a static space," Moore said. "This is a living, breathing art gallery, a place to encounter the truth, beauty and the goodness of God."
