Holy Apostles Students of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Putting the Knowledge They’ve Gained to Good Use

In 1957, the founder of the Society of the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles the Very Rev. Eusebe Menard–hailing from Canada–established a Roman Catholic seminary in Cromwell, CT. His intention was to foster and form “late” vocations to the priesthood. 

Fast-forward – Holy Apostles 2022

Fast-forward fifty-five years later, and Holy Apostles College & Seminary continues to stand proud. Its campus stretches gracefully across Cromwell’s beautiful, rolling hills. It continues to serve people of all ages, and from all walks of life, in their individual quests for wisdom and holiness in their vocations. Both in its traditional on-campus setting and through its pioneering, affordable, 100% online programs, Holy Apostles serves as an academic home to seminarians, laity, clergy, and consecrated religious from around the country and even around the globe.

Flexible Learning – the Holy Apostles Difference

The diversity of students is made possible by the asynchronous nature of Holy Apostles’ classes. This freedom has “made all the difference” for Ben of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He is currently earning his Master of Arts in Theology at Holy Apostles. “I can study anywhere and anytime,” he says, “scheduling my coursework around other activities.” Jessica, also of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles says, “the flexibility that Holy Apostles offered provided an excellent opportunity for me to acquire my masters while taking time off to be a mother and tend to the needs of our autistic son.” She graduated from Holy Apostles in 2020 with her Master of Arts in Theology degree. “I am grateful.”

Ben can attest that “Holy Apostles is 100% faithful to the authentic doctrine and magisterium of the Church.” Students at Holy Apostles not only learn the Catholic faith in its fullness and truth, but are also prepared to thrive in their vocations and to excel at fulfilling careers. According to Fr. Raymond Marquez, also of the Los Angeles Archdiocese,

“Studying at Holy Apostles has refreshed my memory of certain ways that the Church articulates articles of the faith and at times made things more understandable to me, especially putting them in the context of experiences after several years of priestly ministry. Taking these courses has helped me develop new insights when I give homilies, when doing pastoral counseling, or in everyday conversations with people who want to understand the faith better.”

Jessica adds, “the orthodoxy of the teaching at Holy Apostles is its crowning achievement and they should be applauded for insisting on this feature in their classes and among their professors. It has aided in increasing my own faith, and as a result has given me the skills to better educate others.”

Those who are interested in joining the joyfully and faithfully Catholic community that is Holy Apostles, whether on-campus or online, are warmly welcomed to visit www.HolyApostles.edu to learn more and begin their application.

Article written by Cameron Daly, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions

Alumni Spotlight:

Mrs. Diana Moyet-Trerotola, 2012

Master of Arts in Theology

“I am fortunate and blessed to have obtained my theological education from Holy Apostles College & Seminary. It has been an experience that continues to be fruitful in my ministry involvement and aspirations. I am proud to serve as an Alumna and highly recommend this institution for your advanced learning objectives.” 

Tell us about yourself

I was involved in many youth ministries as a teenager, serving in various youth leadership positions. As I matured in my faith, I became actively involved in my parishes, serving as Eucharist Minister, Lecturer, and Catechist. I obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Saint John’s University, Queens, New York, majoring in Rhetoric and Public Address, followed with a Master of Business Administration from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. I entered the FBI as a Special Agent in 1995, retiring in 2015. During my FBI tenure, I continued to volunteer in various Catholic ministries despite the many state-relocation moves due to my career. While still active in law enforcement, I established Women’s Walk of Faith Ministries, Inc., a non-profit-based organization, which offers a forum where women of all Christian denominations can assimilate, socialize and educate through shared life experiences. I pursued and earned a theological graduate degree from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in support of my ministry vision, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2012.

What are you doing now?

As Ministry Director and founder for Women’s Walk of Faith Ministries, Inc., I serve as a Lay Person speaker, Conference Coordinator, Bible Study Teacher, and Spiritual Adviser. I continue my ministry work online by writing and sending daily devotions to ministry subscribers, actively sharing the Word of God through social media venues, and establishing a network of women of faith in neighboring communities by hosting Bible studies and gatherings. Following my Chaplain Internship and Residency Program that I completed this August, earning four units of Clinical Pastoral Education at ChristianaCare Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center, and teaching hospital, I remained at ChristianaCare Health System as a volunteer hospital Chaplain. I am pending Chaplain Board Certification from the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.

Why did you decide to study at HA?

I was seeking a Master’s of Theology or equivalent in support of my vision for my Women’s ministry. Additionally, I envisioned pursuing a ministry career/vocation following my law enforcement retirement and felt a theological education would help establish that knowledge and foundation. However, being a federal employee subject to potential relocation, I needed to find an educational institution that offered online learning, which limited my options. After conducting a significant amount of research, I discovered that Holy Apostles College & Seminary offered a Distance Learning program that met my needs. This was also the only program that did not require a hybrid physical attendance requirement, which would have been challenging for me in my line of work. This decision to pursue a distance learning degree program proved prophetic as I relocated out of state twice during my theological studies due to work-related responsibilities.

What was your favorite course you took while at HA?

My favorite course at Holy Apostles College & Seminary was the Vatican II Documents, taught by Doctor Cynthia Toolin-Wilson. The course offered an in-depth and comprehensible historical understanding of the Second Vatican documents and how it transcends into the beliefs of our Catholic tradition. Dr. Toolin-Wilson’s teaching approach facilitated a practical learning experience despite an intensive dogmatic subject. This educational content served beneficial in my recent application for Catholic Chaplain Board Certification in a required theological integrated essay requiring my articulation of the understanding of the Second Vatican Documents as it relates to spiritual pastoral care.

How has your HA education helped you in your life?

My advance education at Holy Apostles College & Seminary has been extremely instrumental in my career aspirations. I knew that following my law enforcement retirement, I wanted to pursue a career in ministry, and I hoped my theological studies would help direct me in this vocation. Shortly after I retired, my parish, St. Andrew Catholic Church, Elk River, Minnesota, had an opening for a Director of Religious Education (DRE), requiring a degree in Theology. I was offered this position. When I relocated to Delaware, I was asked to serve as the Interim DRE for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Bear, Delaware, after the Priest became aware of my Master’s in Theology. And when God led me to pursue the vocation of Chaplaincy, not only did my theological degree meet the educational requirement, it provided the foundation needed for pastoral and spiritual engagement. This included incorporating a working knowledge of ethical theories as it applies to a clinical setting; providing religious and spiritual resources and practices to care recipients in diverse settings and needs; and facilitating theological/spiritual reflection and dialogue with patients and families encountering a crisis situation. With respect to my women’s ministry, my newly acquired theological knowledge enhanced Biblical concepts in my Bible Studies and speaking engagements, offering a new profound perspective for reflection.

Were you inspired by any particular person at HA (professor, mentor, tutor, staff member), and how?

The instruction by all of my professors fostered an interest to pursue my theological studies beyond a “requirement perspective” to a desire of personal and professional spiritual development. They were always available and engaging, allowing the students to engage with a personal perspective. Our Distance Learning representative, Mr. Robert Mish, was extremely valuable in guiding me on my theological educational journey, always resourceful and available, both during and after completing my Master’s program.

Holy Apostles College and Seminary has been awarded top-ranking status for its affordable tuition for 2021. EDSmart.org’s recently released listing of 2021 Most Affordable Online Masters Programs, ranked Holy Apostles #1 among Catholic institutions and #4 among others institutions.

DigitalJournal.com writes saying, “The Most Affordable Online Master’s Programs ranking allows students to compare accredited programs and find those that best fit their education interests and career goals,” said EDsmart’s spokesperson. “We recommend these programs highly to college applicants and parents seeking schools that are academically top-notch and committed to making their programs affordable. These colleges are also standouts at guiding their students to rewarding futures.”

Holy Apostles College & Seminary located in Cromwell, CT, has a history of engaging science in light of our Catholic faith tradition. We are delighted to have recently received a grant, provided by the American Association for the Advancement of Science Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER), to host a Zoom-based community workshop entitled “Assessing Contemporary Science in the Light of Faith” presented by Dr. Stacy Trasancos, an adjunct faculty member at Holy Apostles and executive director of the St. Philip Institute for Catechesis and Evangelization.

This workshop teaches non-scientist members of our Holy Apostles community how to articulate developments in current research in biological or biochemical fields (with particular emphasis on evolutionary biology, genetics, or neuroscience) by reading scientific papers and reviewing how to classify the conclusions in scientific papers as neutral, contradictory, or consistent with the tenets of our Catholic faith. Workshop topics include Christianity and the Birth of Modern Science, How Scientific Research is Conducted, Methods for Reviewing a Scientific Field of Research, Analyzing Scientific Conclusions in the Light of Faith, Defending Doctrine When Scientific Conclusions Go Beyond Science, and Completing the Scientific Revolution by Reuniting Science with Philosophy and Theology.  

“The DoSER program will provide science resources to assist Holy Apostles as we educate seminarians on the relationship between faith and science.” – Very Rev. Peter S. Kucer, MSA, President-Rector

 

“Thanks to the DoSER program, Holy Apostles will be able to share with its community some concrete methods to strengthen our understanding of the relationship between science and our Catholic faith.” – Dr. Sebastian Mahfood, OP, Vice-President of External Affairs, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Program Director

 

“Seeing science as the study of God’s handiwork changes the way you see the world. Thanks to the DoSER program, Holy Apostles can share this great synthesis of awe and wonder with seminarians.” Dr. Stacy Trasancos, Program Coordinator and Webinar Instructor

All members of the Holy Apostles community (faculty, staff, students, alumni, supporters) are encouraged to attend. There is no cost for attending. Those interested may register through https://wcatradio.com/assessingscience/

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes 261 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving millions of individuals. The nonprofit is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. Building upon its mission, AAAS established the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program in 1995 to facilitate communication between scientific and religious communities. For the latest information and news about AAAS DoSER and the Science for Seminaries Seed Grant initiative, visit AAAS.org/DoSER and ScienceforSeminaries.org.