The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ decision to file for bankruptcy protection is unlikely to affect St. Thomas according to Doug Hennes, vice president for university and government relations.

While the university collaborates with the archdiocese on educational and service programs, it is financially independent and is not owned or operated by the archdiocese, according to a statement released by Hennes.

The Saint Paul Seminary and the St. John Vianney College Seminary are connected to both St. Thomas and the archdiocese but are also not likely to be affected by the bankruptcy filings, according to Tom Ryan, vice president for institutional advancement.

The Saint John Vianney College Seminary, an undergraduate-level seminary that helps students decide whether they wish to become priests, is located on the St. Paul campus but is not governed or managed by St. Thomas. It is also separately incorporated from the archdiocese and is funded independently, as is the Saint Paul Seminary.

Hennes said the university’s working relationship with the archdiocese will likely remain unchanged.

“We have a good working relationship with the archdiocese on a number of fronts, and we certainly expect that to continue,” Hennes said.

Grace Pastoor can be reached at past6138@stthomas.edu.