ABOUT HOLY APOSTLES COLLEGE & SEMINARY

Identity

Holy Apostles College and Seminary (HACS) is inspired and guided by the missionary charism of its sponsor, the Society of the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles (MSA), as well as by the founder and co-founder of the MSA, Fr. Eusebe Menard O.F.M. and Mr. Hector Durand.

Vision

The Apostles, their central focus on Jesus Christ, and their evangelical outlook inform and shape the vision of HACS: “Cultivating Catholic Leaders for the Purpose of Evangelization”.

Mission

Holy Apostles College and Seminary forms and educates its students—laity, seminarians, clergy, and religious—as missionary disciples, servant leaders, and “co-workers in the vineyard.”[1]

Values

The fundamental values underpinning educational formation at Holy Apostles are:

• Christocentric teaching
• Catholic Orthodoxy by fidelity to the Magisterium
• Educational rigor and challenge
• Respect for the inherent dignity of all persons
• Holistic formation of students corresponding to the head, heart, and hands in

1. 1. Truth
   2. Love
   3. Goodness
   4. Beauty

The social life is very different here than most traditional colleges. The social life here is adoration, study, and pro-life work.

The student body has forged a strong sense of community and family as evidenced by their robust activities together.  Most students participate in several sports daily at lunchtime. There are eat-outs at different restaurants; movie, pizza and game nights; hiking around CT. trails and beaches. Students all meet at Catholic Underground on campus each month.  They participate in a choir program with the seminarians as well as a Latin schola.

A very large joint representation of the student body takes part in the March for Life in January. The student-run Life League, which coordinates pro-life activities, is quite active. Its activities include a prayer vigil on Saturday mornings at one of the abortion clinics in Hartford during the academic year, followed by the Mass of Mercy in the seminary chapel.

Our end of semester and end of year celebrations see a large number of participants from the students and their families for Mass, dinner and evening entertainment including talent shows. In sum, this is a unique and positive dimension of Holy Apostles College and Seminary: the experience of the praying, studying and working together of those called to priesthood, to the lay faithful and to consecrated life. In fact, we refer to ourselves as a mini ecclesia. The fact of relatively small classes and very solicitous teachers gives the opportunity for each student to be well known and to be addressed personally on their faith journey.

Established in the fall of 2006, the Dead Philosophers Society of Holy Apostles College and Seminary seeks to strengthen the community of online and on-campus students within the philosophy and theology programs. Membership is free of charge and is open to all undergraduates, graduates & friends.

Holy Apostles College and Seminary has daily Mass at Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Chapel. The 7:00 a.m. Mass is attended by the seminarians, sisters, lay students and members of the faculty and staff. The 10 a.m. Sunday Mass is open to all.

The Sacrament of Confession is available before Mass and two afternoons a week. There is a daily Holy Hour with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, as well as 24-hour adoration beginning every Thursday evening through Sunday morning.

Students also have the option of participating in Mass and other spiritual activities, including perpetual adoration, at nearby St. John Church in Cromwell. The parish is staffed by Conventual Franciscan Friars.

• Dr. Hermann Frieboes (Bioethics & Biomedical Engineering), PhD, UC Irvine, CA
• Dr. John Hittinger (Political Philosophy), PhD, Catholic University of America, DC
• Rev. Peter Kucer, MSA (Historical Theology), STD, Catholic University of America
• Dr. Matthew Ramage (Sacred Scripture), PhD, Ave Maria University, FL
• Dr. J. Marianne Siegmund (Theology & Pastoral Studies), STD, Angelicum, Rome

Holy Apostles College & Seminary alumni comprise an exceptional list of internationally recognized leaders and experts in the areas of apologetics, theology, parish ministry, philosophy, and the new evangelization. We are proud of the many priests, clergy, religious and laity who are living out the missionary charism of Holy Apostles.

Very Rev. Christopher Alar, MIC
M.Div. 2014
Provincial Superior the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception
See: newsletter article

David L. Archer
M.A. in Theology 2018
Retired President of Christian Brothers University

Rev. Joseph Aytona, CPM
M.A. in Theology 2010, M.Div. 2010
Rector at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion

Rev. Anthony Blount, SOLT
B.A. 1991, M.A. in Theology 1995 and M.Div. 1996
Family-Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity and Associate Pastor in Detroit, M.I.

Rev. James Blount, SOLT
B.A. in Philosophy 1995, M.Div.1999
Spiritual director, preacher and exorcist

Rev. William Casey, CPM
M.Div. 1991
Speaker and guest on EWTN

Very Rev. Joshua Caswell, SJC
M.Div 2014
Superior General of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius

David Currie
M.A. in Theology 2011
Author, lecturer and Research Associate of The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

Matt Fradd
B.A. in Philosophy 2015, M.A. in Philosophy 2018, H.D. 2019
Pints of Aquinas, Apologetics

Jonathon Fessenden
M.A. in Theology 2022
Co-Founder of Missio Dei Catholic

Sean Forrest
B.A. in Theology 2011
Founder and President of Haiti180, Inc., motivational speaker and musician

Mother Adela Galindo, SCTJM
M.A. in Theology 2004
Foundress of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Phillip Hadden
M.A. in Theology 2021
Founder of Missio Dei Catholic

Trent Horn
M.A. in Philosophy 2018
Catholic Answers, Apologetics

Fr. Stephen Imbarrato
M.A. in Theology 2005, M.Div. 2005,
Prolife Ministry

Sebastian Mahfood, OP, PhD
M.A. in Philosophy 2009, M.A. in Theology 2013
Founder of Enroute Books and Media, LLC

Rev. Wade Menezes, CPM
M.A. in Theology 2000, M.Div. 2000, H.D. 2024
EWTN host and contributing writer
See: newsletter article

Shaun McAfee
M.A. in Theology 2015
Founder and editor of EpicPew

Rev. Hien Van Nguyen
M.A. in Dogmatic Theology 2020
Chancellor of the Diocese of Phat Diem, Vietnam

Rev. Minh Thien Nguyen, OP
M.A. in Theology 2015
Rector of Sedes Sapientiae Theological Center in Saigon, Vietnam

Daniel O’Connor
M.A. in Philosophical Theology 2013
Professor, author and blogger
See: newsletter article

Mike Pacer
M.A. in Theology 2009
Director of Evangelize All Ministries, writer and speaker

Rev. Daniel Reehil, VF
M.A. in Theology 2016, M.Div. 2016
Pastor and exorcist of the Diocese of Nashville, T.N.
See: newsletter article

Christopher M. Reilly
M.A. in Theology 2020
Bioethicist and writer

Patrick Reis
M.A. in Philosophy 2014
Executive Director, Encounter Ministries

Rev. Chad Ripperger, SMD
M.A. in Theology 1991
Theologian and exorcist of the Archdiocese of Denver, C.O.

Very Rev. Martin Rooney, MSA
B.A. 1993, M.Div. 1995
Provincial Animator of the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles USA Province

Rev. Paulus-Maria Tautz, CFR
M.Div. 2007
Author and speaker in Germany

Rev. Jeffrey “Skip” Thompson, MSA
M.Div. 2015, M.A. in Theology 2016
Retreat center director, Oxnard, CA
See: newsletter article

Stacy Trasancos, PhD
M.A. in Theology 2014
Professor, speaker and author

Rev. Daniel Williamson, CFR
M.Div. 2011
Preacher, missionary and chapel designer

Jared Zimmerer
M.A. in Theology 2018
Word on Fire Institute Contributor and former Senior Director

Sr. Naomi Zimmerman FSE
M.A. in Theology 1996
Missionary at the Franciscan Information Center in Jerusalem, Israel

Holy Apostles College and Seminary entices students with its modest but picturesque and peaceful campus. It is also historic; the oldest building was erected in 1751. The campus is wooded, and students and visitors can walk to the Connecticut River and enjoy the campus’ trail known as the Tree Walk.

Residential facilities for lay students are not available on campus. Some students taking on-campus classes share local apartments, but most commute from their homes. To help students with local housing, the admissions director works with local realtors and homeowners.

Health services are available at Middlesex Hospital and Connecticut Valley Hospital, each located five minutes away in Middletown.

Cromwell is a town of 13,500 people that is 15 minutes from the state capital of Hartford and about 30 minutes from New Haven. The quiet town also is safe, with minimal violent crime and a very low crime rate that is about 40 percent lower than the national crime index.

Hartford, a long-time center of the insurance industry, has a population of 125,000. It has a number of attractions, including the Mark Twain House and the Hartford Civic Center, which hosts cultural and sports events.

Cromwell can be reached by the north-south Interstate 91. Amtrak serves Hartford, and the city’s Bradley International Airport provides non-stop service to several major cities.