We’re honored to share that Four County Catholic, produced by the Archdiocese of Hartford, recently spotlighted Holy Apostles College & Seminary as a “hidden gem in Cromwell,” celebrating our unique mission and ever-growing impact.
The article praises Holy Apostles for pioneering faithful, affordable, and fully online Catholic education, offering formation in theology, philosophy, sacred art, and more. With over 1,000 students and our largest enrollment in history last fall, we continue to be a beacon of truth, flexibility, and fidelity to the Church.
What is it, where did it come from, can it really be the burial cloth of Christ – wasn’t it proven a fake?
On March 25, Holy Apostles was blessed to have alumnus Deacon Benedict LoCasto ’16 present a comprehensive and compelling talk on the Shroud of Turin.
Deacon Ben gave an historical account of the Shroud of Turin that was brought from the Mideast to Europe by the Knights Templar. It is purportedly the most studied artifact in history. But the greatest claim made for this cloth is that it is the actual burial cloth of Christ.
To learn more, please see highlights of Deacon LoCasto’s fascinating talk here.
Deacon LoCasto is a Permanent Deacon of the Diocese of Norwich, CT, and serves at the parish of the Good Shepherd in CT. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, certified Spiritual Director, as well as the Northeast Commander of the Templars Today. He also serves as the Marketing and Production Manager for the Four County Catholic, a publication of the Diocese of Norwich.
Deacon Ben completed his diaconate formation in 2016 at Holy Apostles College & Seminary.
We commemorate our deceased members of the Holy Apostles family and request that you keep them in your prayers. Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Dr. James “Jim” Bechler Sendelbach, Ed.D., LPC85, of Conyers, Georgia, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, March 2, 2025. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Dr. Susan Sendelbach and numerous family members.
James proudly served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era as a Morse code specialist, even playing a role in the Cuban Missile Crisis. He earned a B.A., cum laude, from Holy Apostles College, and went on to receive an Ed.D. in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University and become a mental health counselor. His wife, Susan, explained that “Jim” had wonderful memories of his time at Holy Apostles.
James was a devoted member of St. Pius Catholic Church in Conyers since 1991, and his faith was central to his life.
Fr. Jose Maria Salgado, FSSP, 92, died on March 8, 2025. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Fr. Salgado joined the Army after graduating from high school. He then attended a minor seminary but, after graduating, began a career as an electrical technician.
Years later, Fr. Salgado pursued his vocation again and received a Master of Divinity from Holy Apostles Seminary before being ordained a priest for the Diocese of Stockton, California in 1993. He loved the Traditional Latin Mass and applied to join the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in 1994, with incardination taking place in 2001.
Sister Colleen Ann Nagle, 76, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist and Executive Director of the Franciscan Life Process Center in Lowell, Michigan, entered eternal life on June 14, after a long and faith-filled battle with cancer and its complications.
While in college working toward a degree in education, Sister Colleen Ann became familiar with the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist and entered the Community in 1973. In 1981, she professed perpetual vows. Sister Colleen Ann spearheaded the construction of the Franciscan Life Process Center north of Lowell, Wisconsin, which provides the space for the many outreaches of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in West Michigan.
Sister Colleen Ann earned a Master of Arts degree in Theology from Holy Apostles which was awarded in 2007. She is survived by her Franciscan Community of Sisters, family, and many friends.
Historian and Holy Apostles professor emeritus, Sr. Dolores Liptak, RSM, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 13th triennial Conference on the History of Women Religious (CHWR) on June 24. Sr. Liptak, a Sister of Mercy of the Americas, contributed to the original organization of the conference in the 1980s and has remained a member. The first conference was held in 1989 in Minneapolis. Since then, triennial conferences have sought to enhance networking while sharing research on vowed women.
When first organized, Sr. Liptak recalls that the CHWR had a small number of people happy to get together and share their specializations and their roles as women religious. In 2016, the Global Sisters Reports stated that there were more than 400 members from around the world.
Sr. Liptak, who earned a doctorate in American History, was a member of the faculty at Holy Apostles from 1998 until 2014. She taught American Church History to such notables as our current President-Rector, Fr. Peter Kucer, MSA (M. Div. 2001, MA in Theology 2002); author and EWTN radio host Fr. Wade Menezes, CPM (M.A. in Theology 2000, M.Div. 2000, H.D. 2024); Provincial Superior of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception and EWTN host Fr. Chris Alar, MIC (M. Div. 2013); and Ave Maria radio host, pastor, and exorcist Fr. Daniel Reehil, VF (MA Theology 2013, M. Div. 2013), to name a few.
In addition to teaching and contributing to the CHWR, Sister was the first to organize and computerize several major archives: the Carmelite Monastery in Baltimore, MD; the Visitation Sisters in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC; the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception in Stockbridge, MA; and the Connecticut archives of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.
Sr. Liptak has used her expertise as a historian in the editing of several books, including Pioneer Healers: The History of Women Religious in American Healthcare, and Marvels of Charity: History of American Sisters and Nuns. Additionally, she is the author of Hartford’sCatholic Legacy.
Holy Apostles was proud to learn that one of our alumni participated in the first Mass of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV. Sister Mary Mercy Lee, FSE, MA ’11, PMC ‘17, proclaimed the first reading in English at the Mass that took place on May 9 in the Sistine Chapel.
Image credit: Vatican News Youtube Live Broadcast
Sister Mary Mercy received her Master of Arts in Theology at Holy Apostles prior to discerning her vocation as a religious sister. At that time, her given name was Robyn Lee. In 2016, she entered the novitiate of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in Meriden, CT, and professed her perpetual vows in May 2024. During discernment and while in the novitiate, she studied at Holy Apostles and received her Post Master’s Certificate in 2017.
After her profession of vows, Sister Mary Mercy was assigned to work at the Vatican, where she serves in the English language section at a Vatican office. As relayed in a Facebook post by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, Sister Mary Mercy considered it a privilege to proclaim the first reading at the Holy Father’s first Mass for the cardinal-electors.
At Holy Apostles, we share the excitement about our new pope. As President-Rector Rev. Peter Kucer, MSA, stated in his email of joy upon Pope Leo’s election, “We welcome him with hearts full of hope and prayers, trusting that the Lord will continue to guide His Church through the humble service of the Vicar of Christ.”
Watch Sister Mary Mercy as she proclaims the first reading at Pope Leo XIV’s first Mass.
Holy Apostles held its 67th Commencement Ceremony on April 26, 2025, at Queen of the Apostles Chapel on the campus in Cromwell, CT. Attending either in person or via livestream were 160 students representing 30 states and four countries. At the event, President-Rector Very Rev. Peter Kucer bestowed an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D.), honoris causa, upon Mr. James Wahlberg in recognition of his notable contributions to society.
Left to Right: Very Rev. Peter Kucer, Mr. Jim Wahlberg, and Dr. Kristina Olsen
The weekend began with a Friday evening gala that brought together faculty, staff, graduates, guests, and friends. We were honored to have as special guests: The Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne, 6th Archbishop of Hartford, and keynote speaker Mr. Wahlberg. In his commencement address on Saturday, Mr. Wahlberg, an author, speaker, and award-winning filmmaker, spoke about receiving the mercy and grace that only God can provide. For him, it came in the form of a priest, Fr. James Freitas, who was there for him at the lowest point in his life and to whom he dedicated his speech. Speaking at the podium, in the Holy Apostles Chapel, Jim Wahlberg thanked the seminarians, priests, and all the religious, “for your ‘Yes’ to Our Lord.”
“You see, the things that you learn here at Holy Apostles will arm you, so that when the time comes, you will be Fr. Freitas for somebody else… He was a reflection of Jesus Christ… And you will have that opportunity, and you will be armed with the facts,” he said. He also emphasized that “love is the most important thing, but then it has to be followed up with a message of depth and weight.”
Wahlberg ended by reciting the Apostles’ Creed as a testimony of his beliefs. His final words encouraged the graduates with the statement, “Be bold in your faith. The world needs you.” — Watch Mr. Wahlberg’s complete commencement address. Both the undergraduate speaker, Carla Martinez, and the graduate speaker, Sr. Hoa Ngoc Thi Nguyen, SJP, spoke of finding solace and strength from God through prayer during the stressful times in their educational journey. Sr. Nguyen went on to explain that at Holy Apostles, she gained knowledge, but also learned a valuable lesson of love from the patience, thoughtfulness, and kindness of her professors, as well as from the religious and lay students with whom she studied and worked. As for the future, she reminded those in attendance, “No matter what the future holds, we are never alone because God is always with us.”
Both the undergraduate speaker, Carla Martinez, and the graduate speaker, Sr. Hoa Ngoc Thi Nguyen, SJP, spoke of finding solace and strength from God through prayer during the stressful times in their educational journey. Sr. Nguyen went on to explain that at Holy Apostles, she gained knowledge, but also learned a valuable lesson of love from the patience, thoughtfulness, and kindness of her professors, as well as from the religious and lay students with whom she studied and worked. As for the future, she reminded those in attendance, “No matter what the future holds, we are never alone because God is always with us.”