The University of Saint Mary of the Lake, also called
Mundelein Seminary, is the principal seminary and school of
theology for the formation of priests in the Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of Chicago, governed from Chicago, Illinois, in the
United States. It is recognized as the first institution of
higher education in the City of Chicago.[citation needed]
Chartered by the Illinois General Assembly in 1844, it has the
longest continuous academic charter in the state of Illinois.
The largest major seminary (a seminary containing a graduate
school of theology) in the United States, Mundelein Seminary
serves 45 dioceses in eight different countries and was the
first ecclesiastical faculty in the U.S.
In addition to the seminary, the University of St. Mary of the
Lake offers the Lay Formation Program, Instituto de Liderazgo
Pastoral, Diaconate Formation Program, and the Liturgical
Institute.
While these are private grounds, they are open to visitors
during certain hours, generally 10 AM to 5 PM daily. The
University of St. Mary of the Lake is located at 1000 E. Maple
Avenue