Alex Soucy, a 2023 graduate, is an example of someone living the missionary charism of evangelization that is the vision of Holy Apostles College & Seminary. He is the co-founder of Crossroads 4 Christ (C4C), an organization that brings young adults together to form communities of missionary disciples. Crossroads 4 Christ enables young adults to gather and discuss Christ in an environment that seeks to better their relationship with the Lord.
Holy Apostles College & Seminary has a long-standing relationship with the Cardinal Newman Society. Our undergraduate programs have been featured in the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College since its very first edition in 2007, and they have been reaffirmed annually for their excellence, orthodoxy, and commitment to the formation of students in mind and soul.
The Cardinal Newman Society’s Newman Guide serves as a trusted resource for students and families seeking faithful Catholic higher education. Institutions and programs listed in the Guide are held to high standards, modeled on the Church’s vision in Ex corde Ecclesiae, Saint John Paul II’s apostolic constitution on Catholic universities.
To be listed means a program:
Upholds Catholic moral and doctrinal teaching
Promotes a faithful Catholic intellectual life
Encourages virtue, prayer, and service
Ensures faculty and curriculum remain loyal to the Magisterium
Recognition by the Cardinal Newman Society affirms that Holy Apostles continues to deliver rigorous, affordable, and authentically Catholic graduate education, fully online and accessible to students around the world.
Forming Missionary Disciples for the Church and the World
At Holy Apostles, our mission is simple and profound: to provide faithful, affordable, and flexible Catholic formation and education in the development of leaders for evangelization. Our graduate programs are designed not just to inform minds, but to transform hearts and equip missionary disciples for the work of the New Evangelization.
We are deeply grateful to our faculty, students, staff, and donors, whose faithful witness and academic excellence made this recognition possible. And above all, we give thanks to God, trusting that through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Apostles, our mission will continue to flourish.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Whether you’re discerning a vocation, deepening your understanding of the faith, or preparing to serve the Church in a new capacity, now is the perfect time to explore Holy Apostles’ graduate programs.
Holy Apostles College & Seminary is pleased to share that Adjunct Professor Patrick Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society, represented our community in Rome during Pope Leo XIV’s historic proclamation of St. John Henry Newman as a Doctor of the Universal Church on November 1.
Professor Reilly and his wife, Rosario, joined thousands of Catholics in St. Peter’s Square for the All Saints Mass, a liturgy marked by deep beauty and reverence. During the celebration, the schola sang Lead, Kindly Light, the hymn written by Newman during a pivotal moment in his life. For Professor Reilly and The Cardinal Newman Society, the hymn remains a powerful reminder of the mission of faithful Catholic education.
Pope Leo XIV formally declared: “We… by the fullness of the apostolic power, declare Saint John Henry Newman Doctor of the Universal Church.”
This recognition affirms Newman’s lasting impact on Catholic education, especially his vision for forming students in faith, intellect, and moral witness. The declaration came just days before the Holy Father released a document naming Newman co-patron of Catholic education alongside St. Thomas Aquinas.
Professor Reilly attended Vatican events as both president of The Cardinal Newman Society and an adjunct professor at Holy Apostles College & Seminary.
Holy Apostles is grateful for Professor Reilly’s commitment to promoting faithful Catholic education and for representing our College during this important moment in the life of the Church.
St. Bonaventure (c. 1217–1274) was an Italian medieval Franciscan friar, cardinal, theologian, and philosopher, known as the “Seraphic Doctor” for his piety and theological writings. He served as the Minister General of the Franciscan Order and helped to mediate internal disputes within the order. His influential works include The Mind’s Road to God and the Life of St. Francis.
Born Giovanni di Fidanza, he was healed from a serious childhood illness through the prayers of St. Francis of Assisi, who foretold his future greatness. He later entered the Franciscan Order and studied in Paris, where he became a close friend of St. Thomas Aquinas. He was appointed as the Cardinal-Bishop of Albano in 1273. He died in 1274 while attending the Second Council of Lyon.
St. Bonaventure was canonized in 1482 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1557 for his significant contributions to Catholic theology through his writings and study. His works are noted for their mystical and contemplative approach to spirituality and theology.
He is honored for his role in guiding the Franciscan Order and for his intellectual and spiritual contributions to the church.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cousins, Ewert. Bonaventure and the Coincidence of Opposites. Chicago, IL: Franciscan Herald Press. 1978.
Gilson. Etienne. The Philosophy of St. Bonaventure. Paterson, NJ: St. Anthony Guild Press. 1965.
Hayes, Zachary. Works of Saint Bonaventure: Disputed Questions of the Mystery of the Trinity. Saint Bonaventure, NY: The Franciscan Institute. 1979.
Healy, Sr. Emma Therese. Works of Saint Bonaventure: Volume I. Saint Bonaventure, NY: The Franciscan Institute. 1955.
Johnson, Timothy. Bonaventure: Mystic of God’s Words. Hyde Park, NY: New City Press.1999.
Ratzinger, Joseph. The Theology of History in St. Bonaventure. Chicago, IL: Franciscan Herald Press. 1989.
Shahan, Robert W. and Kovach, Francis J. Editors. Bonaventure & Aquinas: Enduring Philosophies. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. 1976.
On Friday, September 26, the Most Reverend Richard F. Reidy, Bishop of Norwich, visited the Holy Apostles campus and presided over the Mass of the Holy Spirit, a beautiful tradition that marks the start of the new academic year, giving thanks for God’s gifts and asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom, guidance, and strength in the months ahead.
It was an opportunity for the Holy Apostles community to come together in prayer, gratitude, and hope as we begin the academic year.
Front: Seminarian Br. Robert Cantoni, MSA, former Board member Jean-Pierre van Rooy
Back (left to right): Board member David Masse, Wendy Masse and alumni (Deacon Dana Gary, Wayne Gignac, Deacon Ben LoCasto and Rev. Richard Breton)
