Article by Fr. Jeffrey “Skip” Thompson, MSA

Brothers who’ve responded to the call of the priesthood are a special lot. And seminary classmates have a special bond of friendship that comes from studying together in the same place and time and “burning the midnight oil” on the weightiest subject a mind can focus on: God So, it’s good for Alumni to stay in touch.

Earlier in May, I signed up to chaplain a Holland America cruise ship bound for Alaska from Vancouver, B.C. On board, I delivered daily mass, Sunday Masses for passengers and crew and a Sunday fellowship for our “separated protestant brothers and sisters”.

It turns out my old classmate of the Class of 2015, Fr. Larry Lynn, is now Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Coquitlam, near Vancouver. I flew up from Los Angeles to spend a week with him before my cruise ministry.

I was present to cover for Fr. Larry one day due to illness. And he invited me to deliver Sunday homilies on John 6 — the Bread of Life discourse — my favorite retreat conference topic! Okay, I’m helping, good stuff.

But before coming I sent Fr. Larry a short treatise by Bishop Michael Burbidge from the Diocese of Arlington, entitled “A Catechesis on the Human Person and Gender Theory.” It is solid information and overdue. Unfortunately, too much “self-censorship” seems to be going on.

Left: Fr. Larry Lynn, Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Coquitlam, B.C., Canada. Right: Fr. Skip Thompson, MSA. Director of the Santa Clara Retreat House in Oxnard, CA. Thinking, walking and talking one day on the Pitt River just north of Coquitlam, and east of Vancouver, B.C.,. You never know what might be dreamed up!

Our countries are drowning in a cesspool of ideology to pervert and ruin our future generations. Parents and parishes need critical help, yesterday, to understand the truth of the human person from the perspective of Christian anthropology — to be able to push back against the culture and save their kids. Priests and bishops need to do their jobs — or else! He who has ears to hear, listen to Ezekiel 3 for details!

So, a fine idea emanated from our little “Alumni mini-reunion.” Why not deliver a conference on this hot, controversial topic? Our kids’ survival is at stake. The Chancery approved it. It’s been promoted to the whole Deanery. And even passengers from the cruise ship are coming! The date is September 5, 2024. Look for a future blub on this event.

But, here’s the takeaway: imagine, what would happen if a larger HACS Alumni reunion gathered together. And imagine the benefits of networking solid, orthodox priests together, all having been formed in the same solid, orthodox seminary together, dealing with issues like this? Just asking.

Dear Holy Apostles Community,

“Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” (2 Timothy 1:2 RSVCE)

As we begin the fall semester, I extend my greetings and blessings in the Lord Jesus to you all.

Currently, our campus is being filled with life as our seminarians, student priests, sisters and on-campus commuter students return. I welcome our many students who are joining us online and are part of a robust international community.

I would like to note the appointment of two important administrators Dr. Kristina Olsen Ph.D. as the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Dr. John O’Neill as the B.A. Theology program coordinator. Dr. O’Neill will also serve as an Assistant Professor of Theology.

Our fall semester and new academic year began on Monday, August 26 with the celebration of Holy Mass at 11:30 a.m. It was followed by the Opening Convocation Ceremony for the 2024-25 academic year. It included the official installation of Dr. Olsen in her new role as Vice-President of Academic Affairs and also the faculty taking the Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity.

Left to Right: Very Rev. Peter S. Kucer, MSA (President-Rector), Very Rev. Martin Rooney, MSA (Chancellor), and Dr. Kristina Olsen (Vice President of Academic Affairs)

We look forward to on-campus retreats and online webinars this year including some that are outlined in this newsletter along with our first HACS Scholarship Dinner being held on October 26 in Cromwell, CT.

Please reach out to Cristi Shaw at [email protected] with any suggestions and feedback as we work to make the year ahead fulfilling and engaging for our community.

United in the Lord Jesus,

Father Peter Kucer, MSA STD
President-Rector

Holy Apostles College and Seminary continues to foster its global outreach to form future leaders of the Church. This summer, Fr. Peter Kucer, MSA, President-Rector, with Fr. Son, MSA, and Fr. Declan, embarked on significant recruitment trips to Vietnam and the Philippines.

Foundations for Future Growth

In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Fr. Peter and Fr. Son spent time with several religious communities, deepening relationships that have been nurtured over the years. Their efforts resulted in exciting news: a Cistercian community has committed to sending one of their seminarians to Holy Apostles.

After their time in Vietnam, Fr. Peter traveled to the Philippines, where he began building new relationships with bishops and religious superiors.

In Cebu, Fr. Peter, Fr. Declan, and Sister Giselle Santos, SPD, engaged with several key figures, including Fr. Ambrose Kulandairaj, Superior General of the Missionaries of the Poor (MOP). Here, discussions centered on establishing a formation house at Holy Apostles and potential online theological studies.

A meeting with Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu led to an invitation for Fr. Peter and Fr. Declan to present the Holy Apostles’ mission to the regional board of bishops. This invitation is a clear sign of the growing respect and recognition for Holy Apostles in the Philippines.

The journey continued with meetings across the country, from Tuguegarao to Malolos and Virac. In every instance, each encounter reinforced Holy Apostles’ commitment to supporting the Church’s mission of evangelization and the formation of priests who will serve with love and dedication.

A Global Commitment to the Church’s Mission

These trips to Vietnam and the Philippines are a reflection of Holy Apostles College and Seminary’s deep commitment to the global Church and the seminary’s role in fostering strong relationships that will support the Church’s mission of evangelization.

Holy Apostles College and Seminary alumni are valuable members of a lifelong community and global network. We hear many stories about how the education they received at Holy Apostles helped to support their work in Catholic ministry.

We are proud of our alumni for living the mission of Holy Apostles in evangelization as “co-workers in the vineyard” whether clergy, laity, or religious.

Many of our alumni are doing exceptional work for the church and some have reached national and international recognition. Recently we posted an impressive list of these recognized leaders here.

We thank all alumni for your role as important ambassadors for the college and seminary and trailblazers for the faith.

Holy Apostles looks forward to increasing our programs and offerings for our alumni community. Please stay in touch and let us know the good work you are doing!

CROMWELL. As you drive out the entrance road of the Holy Apostles College and Seminary campus you’ll see a sign declaring: “Entering Mission Territory.” That statement admits that the faith — in what used to be “one nation under God,” — is waning. Atheism is the basis for the “ideological colonization” that is swamping our culture so that “missions” are right in our backyard. So what are we doing about it? Well, it may be politically incorrect to say it, but the old Marine Corps recruitment motto: “We’re looking for a few good men,” still applies to the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church. No apologies!

And the charism and mission of the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles is precisely suited for the task. We exist to “promote, form and accompany youth and adults in their vocation to the priesthood and to other ministries in the Church.” And so our Founder, Fr. Eusebe Menard, founded Holy Apostles College and Seminary (HACS) as our principle apostolate and place to train “a few good priests” to go on mission, right here in the good ‘ol USA.

How do we do it? The administration and faculty at Holy Apostles are committed to teaching the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) by providing faithful, orthodox instruction and formation to give solid, holy priests to the Church. They pledge, by an oath of fidelity called the Mandatum, to teach according to the Church’s Magisterium regarding faith and morals — so their charges may be spiritually well armed, servant soldiers of “salt and light,” that can inspire and guide the Church and evangelize the world-at-large. With this in mind, and with the approval of HACS Rector Fr. Peter Kucer, a vocation discernment opportunity, aka, a “Come and See” retreat, was offered inside the St. James House of Discernment on campus over 3 days, June 6, 7 & 8, 2024.

Whodunit? MSA Vocation Coordinator Fr. Skip Thompson flew cross-continent from Southern California to first attend the MSA-USA Provincial Assembly in late May; and secondly, multi-tasked by preparing and delivering an MSA vocation retreat. MSA Brs. Bobby Cantoni and Ronnie Aucoin were instrumental in preparing for and participating in the retreat program. And daily served and accompanied our “few good men.”

Three men “came and saw” — to discern and reconnoiter — our college and seminary and our MSA community of priests and brothers — who in turn discerned right back! They were: Michael Gillespie of Walnut Creek, CA; Steven Roque of Winooski, VT and Chris Woods of Wantagh, NY on Long Island. The consensus was that a good experience was had by all! Good men, good time, good God!

Inside St. James’ House of Discernment chapel. Seated from left to right are our “Aspirants” – Chris Woods, Mike Gillespie, and Steve Roque.  Standing from L to R are Br. Ronnie Aucoin, yours truly, and Br. Bob Cantoni.

Special presenters to the retreat program included the MSA Provincial Animator and HACS Chancellor, the Very Reverend Marty Rooney; HACS Rector, the Very Reverend Peter Kucer, Provincial Bursar Reverend Ed Przygocki and our newly ordained Reverend Dan Valente — all MSA members.

Of the hundreds of writings by MSA founder, Fr. Eusebe Menard, OFM, one was specially printed and bound and shared with the men: “Guidelines for Life”. Also provided for their reading and inspiration was Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s classic “The Priest is Not His Own,” the 2019 book by Catholic layman Kevin Wells, “The Priests We Need to Save the Church,” and other materials related to the challenges of our times. Fr. Skip will follow up with each man individually — and more meetings will ensue with MSA leadership over the coming months as the “dance” continues. Please pray for Michael, Steve and Chris and our MSA men discerning with them.

If you think you are — or you know a man you think is — called to serve the Church as a priest please contact Fr. Skip in Oxnard, CA at his Retreat House in California. You can email: [email protected] . Or call him at 805-330-8260. BTW: Pacific Time is 3 hours earlier than Eastern; please don’t call too early. Mercy! He will be very glad to speak with you.

Fr. Skip Thompson is a “second career” priest with the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles and was ordained in 2015. He has 3 children. He serves as the MSA Vocation Director and after concurrently serving as Director of Lay Ministries, Dean of Men at HACS from 2015 to 2020, and Provincial Bursar (whew!) he was sent to California. There Fr. Skip was installed by former Auxillary Bishop Robert Barron to begin ministry at the Retreat House at the Santa Clara Parish in Oxnard, CA. He arrived there on March 26, 2022, the feast day of MSA Founder Fr. Eusebe Menard. You can’t make this up!