After active ministry as a regent, Jesuits begin a period of focused theology studies. In the United States, these are the studies that lead to the Master of Divinity degree for scholastics in priestly preparation. The brothers usually work toward a Master’s degree in theological or religious studies.
The vast majority of Jesuits in the United States spend these years at either Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry or the Jesuit School of Theology (JST) in Berkeley, California, now affiliated with Santa Clara University. Some may be sent to schools outside the United States. Along the way, those on the priestly track are ordained as transitional deacons, before ending this stage with their ordination to the priesthood.
