About Interconnections >>

“…in order that they may illumine the mysteries of salvation as completely as possible,
[seminarians] should learn to penetrate them more deeply…and to perceive their interconnections.”

(Second Vatican Council, Optatum Totius, 16)

Interconnections is a journal of Catholic seminarians, reflecting on topics in their studies for the ordained priesthood.

By providing a common forum for Catholic seminarians in various formation programs, this journal encourages a dynamic exchange of insights on common areas of study in Catholic theology, and in other studies allied with priestly formation, such as philosophy, Church history, and the relationship between Church and culture.

Interconnections thereby aims to foster a deeper reflection on Sacred Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and a Catholic worldview by those preparing to share them with people across the nation and the world.

While Interconnections expressly aims to involve seminarians from different seminaries, across the world, realizing the journal is the ongoing work of a body of seminarians at the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois.

Editorial Process

Interconnections is a peer-reviewed academic journal, following a double-blind process. The Chief Editor oversees everything from submission to publication; yet, since he knows the identity of the submitting authors, the Chief Editor does not directly review or decide on the articles. Instead, he oversees two independent bodies of students: the Editorial Board and the Referees.

The Editorial Board acts as the jury in the process of deciding which papers to publish, and to this end, meets regularly to discuss the articles, debate their merits, and render a common decision. The Referees separately evaluate each submission on a series of objective criteria, and then submit to the Chief Editor a recommendation for the piece along with justifying comments. These Referees each receive only one article, and do not discuss the article with others.

The Chief Editor checks the decision of the Editorial Board against the opinion of the Referees. If the decision of the Board varies significantly from that of the Referees, the Chief Editor can void it and ask them to re-vote. After the decision phase is complete, a faculty moderator checks the finalized publication, and barring the need for revisions of the content, the journal will finally be published.

While the Editorial Board manages the internal operations of Interconnections, the Advisory Committee acts as the primary link with the external aspects of the publication, including circulating Calls for Papers, increasing the journal’s publicity in other seminaries, and promoting wider circulation among targets audiences.