National Catholic Register Catholic Identity College Guide 2023

What Is Catholic Identity?

THE EDITORS

he decision to attend college is one of those pivotal moments in life. So is choosing the one that best suits your career goals while continuing to form you in the Catholic faith. If you’re someone who values a school’s Catholic identity in addition to rewarding academics, you’ve come to the right place.

The National Catholic Register is proud to present its 19th-annual “Catholic Identity College Guide,” a carefully curated list of 44 educational institutions, primarily but not exclusively in the United States, which are committed to goals of academic excellence while boldly proclaiming their fidelity to the Catholic faith.

But first of all, what is “Catholic identity”? Here we have to go back a bit in history. In 1990, Pope St. John Paul II published his apostolic constitution on higher education, Ex Corde Ecclesiae (From the Heart of the Church), in which he laid out essential elements for the renewal of Catholic identity for universities. The core vision of the document: “Catholic teaching and discipline are to influence all university activities, while the freedom of conscience of each person is to be fully respected. Any official action or commitment of the university is to be in accord with its Catholic identity.”

In 2000, the Vatican asked the U.S. bishops to produce an application of Ex Corde including legally binding norms; and the next year, the USCCB published its “Application to the United States” for Ex Corde.

It recognized a student’s right to receive instruction in authentic Catholic doctrine, especially from theologians, and affirmed the requirement of the mandatum

Among the elements of Catholic identity were:

n having an administration, trustees and faculty who believe what the Church teaches and promote it on campus;

n having a majority of faculty that is Catholic;

n offering daily Mass and confession on campus;

n excluding advocates of abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, cloning; or the redefinition of marriage as commencement speakers and/or recipients of honorary degrees;

n having student health services prohibit referrals to abortion businesses.

Since 2004, the Register has used this blueprint to create a distinctive questionnaire we send to colleges and universities every year; and to their credit, many have responded.

In fact, many of the names you see in 2023 were with us in our first “Catholic Identity College Guide.” It is truly one of the few, if the only, objective measures of the effort by Catholic colleges and universities to achieve basic Catholic identity.

While we are grateful to list the 44 colleges, universities and academies who chose to participate in this year’s “College Guide,” we wish that even more of the schools to whom we send the questionnaire decided to participate.

In 2023, the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities lists “230 Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States” alone. Where are the others? Regrettably, many have sacrificed their Catholic identity for worldly prestige and public image, but we should pray that they act decisively to regain their Catholicity.

Every year, we receive letters from both parents and students who have used the Register’s “College Guide” to sharpen their focus in their search for colleges that are unabashed in their commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church or on the road to renewing their university commitment to their Catholic identity.

We believe that providing this guide has never been more important, given the wide range of attempts in our society today to marginalize or bully Catholics and their beliefs. Parents can find relief in knowing that there are still places where their children can pursue their call to sanctity within a faithful Catholic college community.

And students can be reassured that, at such a pivotal time in their lives, they can find a college home where they can pursue that sanctity and make their faith their own.

Text of the Questionnaire We Sent to Catholic Colleges

INSIDE

n Making My Faith My Own in College | B4

n Preparing for the Workplace | B4

n University of Mary Offers Catholic Montessori Master’s in Education | B9

n Finding Christ in College | B10

Here are the 44 schools that each answered 10 questions about their college’s institutional standards and campus culture.

AQUINAS COLLEGE

�� 4210 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37228

�� (615) 297-7545

�� AquinasCollege.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 60

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 9

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $27,800 (undergraduate, full time)

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 85%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 6:1

Why Aquinas

The Dominican Sisters of the St. Cecilia Congregation (Nashville Dominicans) strive to provide an excellent Catholic education to all those whom they serve. At Aquinas, all students — young sisters in formation as well as lay students — learn from experienced educators to bring Christ into the classroom for the salvation of souls and the transformation of culture.

AUGUSTINE INSTITUTE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

�� 6160 S. Syracuse Way, Greenwood Village, CO 80111

�� (303) 937-4420

�� Augustine.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 500

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 4

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes, daily

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $11,100 (full time)

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 33% of students receive scholarship support, ranging from partial to full.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 15:1

Why Augustine The Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology exists to make the

wisdom of Christ more available unto the salvation of souls. Students are immersed in Scripture, the writings of Church doctors and saints, and magisterial teaching, while enjoying an academic community that is devoted to the pursuit of holiness.

AVE MARIA UNIVERSITY

��5050 Ave Maria Blvd., Ave Maria, FL 34142 �� (239) 280-2500 �� AveMaria.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 1,300

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 35 majors, 31 minors; 1 doctorate program and 3 graduate programs

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes; perpetual adoration is offered.

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Twice a year, Ave Maria University students can spend a semester in Rome.

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $26,930

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 98%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 15:1

Why Ave Maria At Ave Maria University, our academic programs are designed to foster a love of learning and a deep appreciation for the pursuit of truth. Our approach to academics is guided by Pope St. John Paul II’s Ex Corde Ecclesiae — an apostolic constitution on Catholic higher education and its importance to our society. We encourage our students to seekjoy in this pursuit of Truth. Whether you’re studying biology, psychology, or finance, the truths of the faith are interwoven throughout. This enables students to understand their chosen discipline and the world around them through the Catholic faith. You will graduate fully prepared to be a witness to Christ in your field and beyond.

AVILA INSTITUTE

��800 Cauthen Dr., Montgomery, AL 36105

�� (833) 77-AVILA (28452)

�� Avila-Institute.org

1

10

n No. of Students: 700

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study:

3 different programs (School of Spiritual Formation, Graduate, Spiritual Direction)

n Mandatum: Pending

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: No

n Places Where Students Can Study

Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: School of Spiritual Formation, $1,625; Graduate, $4,200; Spiritual Direction, $1,000

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid:

25%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 40:1

Why Avila

The Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation is a live, online, interactive program that draws Christians worldwide into deeper union with Christ through mystagogically oriented spiritual education and formation focused on the faithful, mystical and ascetical patrimony of the Catholic Church. Our programs are geared toward all adults, with students ranging in age from 18 to 84. The Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation offers a graduate-level program for those looking to develop the skills needed to weave their faith into their occupations or to be a spiritual director or mentor. Also, the School of Spiritual Formation allows people to deepen their own spirituality and incorporate their beliefs and Catholic Tradition into their personal lives.

BELMONT ABBEY COLLEGE

�� 100 Belmont-Mount Holly Road, Belmont, NC 28012

�� (704) 461-6700

�� BelmontAbbeyCollege.edu

SCHOOLS LISTED BY REGION

n No. of Students: 1,504

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 30 majors with 45 minors and concentrations; new graduate programs include MBA, MHA, MSN, M.A. in leadership, and M.S. in data

analytics

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study

Abroad: Various

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $19,500

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid:

More than 98%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 12:1

Why Belmont Abbey

At the Abbey, you’ll unlock a world of learning and grow as a whole person: in mind, body and spirit. We guide you to becoming the best version of yourself while strengthening your relationship with God. We know you could thrive here!

*Coed dorms with single-gender floors or wings

BENEDICTINE COLLEGE

��1020 North 2nd Street, Atchison, KS 66002

�� (800) 467-5340

�� Benedictine.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 2,210

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 50

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study

Abroad: Official Benedictine College campus in Florence, Italy; Campion College in Sydney, Australia; Catholic Institute of Higher Education in La Roche-sur-Yon, France; Abat Oliba University in Barcelona, Spain; Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland; University of Torino in Turin, Italy; Catholic University of Valencia in Valencia, Spain; plus the International Student Exchange Program with more than 300 colleges and universities in 50 countries

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $34,000

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 99%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Why Benedictine

As one of the few Newman-approved Catholic colleges in America, Benedic-

tine College has become a model of ministry and student life programming for other colleges. It features a School of Engineering, School of Nursing, School of Business, plus architecture, graphic design, criminology, theology, music and more than 50 majors.

CAMPION COLLEGE

��8-14 Austin Woodbury Pl., Toongabbie NSW 2146

�� (02) 9896 9300 �� Campion.edu.au

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n

apart with its vibrant campus life and faith-filled atmosphere. Its integrated liberal arts curriculum cultivates critical thinking, nurturing individuals for intellectual and moral leadership within a close-knit community.

*On-campus accommodation is segregated, male and female, across all dorms and residences.

CATHOLIC DISTANCE UNIVERSITY

��300 South George St., Charles Town, WV 25414 �� (304) 724-5000 �� CDU.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 800

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 3

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Rome, the Holy Land

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $9,600

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 10%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 3:1

Why CDU CDU immerses students in a rich global learning community that

fosters professional excellence, fellowship and engagement. As a learner-centered institution, CDU takes a personal approach to online education, enabling students to earn academically rigorous degrees and certificates in the liberal arts and theology from the comfort of home.

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

��620 Michigan Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20064 �� (202) 319-5000 �� Catholic.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 5,059

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: More than 100

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Greece, Egypt, Argentina, Costa Rica, Australia, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, U.K., Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Italy, Tawain, France, South Africa, Ireland, Chile, Japan, Austria, Poland, South Korea, Czech Republic, New Zealand

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $26,520/ semester

n Typical % of students who

receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 91%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 11:1

Why CUA

The national university of the Catholic Church in the United States, founded and sponsored by the bishops of the country with the approval of the Holy See, is committed to being a comprehensive Catholic and American institution of higher learning.

*All undergraduate students reside in single-sex residence halls.

CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE

��134 Christendom Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630 �� (800) 877-5456

�� Christendom.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 550

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 7 majors and 3 minors

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes; daily Eucharistic adoration, along with a monthly night of all-night Eucharistic adoration

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Students can spend a semester of their junior year studying in Rome, and they can also spend three weeks in the summer studying in Ireland as part

of the St. Columcille Institute.

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $29,400

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 98%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 15:1

Why Christendom Christendom College has been providing one of the most rigorous, Catholic liberal arts educations in the nation for more than 45 years. In complete faithfulness to the magisterium, the college has been giving its students the opportunity to learn the truth, live the faith, and thrive as Catholics in a supportive and Christ-centered culture dedicated to helping them realize their potential and become the great men and women God has called them to be.

THE COLLEGIUM

��36 S. Potomac St., Suite 203, Hagerstown, MD 21740

�� (240) 591-0013

�� The-Collegium.org

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 10

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: B.A. in Liberal Studies

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study

CONTINUES ON PAGE B6

BELMONT ABBEY COLLEGE

Making My Faith My Own in College

When I committed to my college four years ago, I had no commitment to daily prayer. I would pray for difficult circumstances or when I needed clarity to make a decision. But now, after four of the hardest, most incredible and formative years of my life, I know that my newfound devotion to daily prayer and communion with Jesus is the one thing that carried me through it all.

There are many daily practices in the spiritual life that deeply impact us, such as Mass, a Rosary, the Liturgy of the Hours.

But, as I found on campus, the days I failed to sit and converse with God in personal, daily prayer were the most challenging.

During my time at Hillsdale College, I often found myself at The Grotto — an off-campus house dedicated to serving our Catholic student community through Bible studies, weekly dinners and the sacraments.

At 10 each night, I joined many other students in the tiny chapel to pray a Rosary. On Tuesdays, we packed both the chapel and living room to the brim for daily Mass with a visiting priest. And on Thursdays, the missionaries (Hillsdale grads who stay on and take care of The Grotto) hosted “Convivium,” a weekly homemade dinner paired with a speaker and exhortation each week.

Though the Grotto was a second home for me freshman year, none of this would really matter in the long run unless I attended to my personal relationship with God.

The community we formed was strong and uplifting, but it would only stay that way if I communed with God, too.

Prayer should not be an item on our to-do list. Prayer is simply time spent with Jesus, my dearest friend.

Daily prayer may be overwhelming if we feel we don’t have time and don’t know “what to do.”

But prayer is not just a thing to do; it’s a place to be, and that place is in the presence of God.

My sophomore year, I would commit to wake up around 7 a.m. each day for a “holy hour” in my dorm room. Some days, it was exhausting to wake up early. If I was cramming for a midterm the night

before, or when snowy days flooded the calendar in November, I didn’t want to pray in the morning.

But starting my morning in prayer shifted the course of the entire day. Rather than pray in the last few minutes of consciousness before falling asleep after a full day of classes, work and social events, I realized I needed to begin my day with the Lord.

One incredibly helpful part of my sophomore morning prayer routine was my dear roommate.

She would also wake up each morning and set aside time to pray. Knowing that I had a friend keeping me accountable always pushed me to continue to pray.

Now my prayer time looks exactly the same each day. Prayer — time spent with Jesus — can look like so many different things. There are a few habitual practices I incorporate into my prayer life, though. First, I always say “Good morning, Jesus.” I say it out loud and I write it down in my

BY SUSAN KLEMOND

After attending a classical liberal arts college for two years, Francis LaFata, 23, transferred to Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio, to pursue a more technical field.

He explored engineering, math and accounting for a year before a professor suggested he check out the university’s career office.

There, LaFata, who graduated with a tax accounting degree from the university this spring, took the professor’s advice and at the office took an online aptitude assessment, made alumni contacts and practiced interviewing. With his professors’ help, he found accountingrelated internships where he used his skills.

journal. This reminds me that God the Son is with me.

Next, I listen. I wait and I listen to his voice and what he wants to speak to me.

I let Jesus fill me with truth each morning. His words are far more important than anything I could say, so I let him speak first. He directs me to Scripture, gives me words or images to pray with, or just nudges me to sit in silence with him.

After that, I respond. I thank him for speaking to me! This is a relationship, remember, not just a chore I need to complete.

Practicing intentional gratitude forms a healthy, loving mindset. Not only do I thank him, I also

tell him about my current daily life — my worries, my joys, my dreams and everything in between.

Jesus wants to hear what we have to say. He wants to hear us tell him what we loved about our day, what we need help with, etc. — even though he already knows, he wants to hear it from us.

Finally, it’s important to steep in Scripture, the living word of God. If I feel stuck in prayer, falling into the lie that I cannot hear God’s voice and he doesn’t want to speak to me, I always meditate on Scripture, letting the Lord speak to me through his living word. There are dozens of ways to pray. But above any type or practice of prayer, we must make it consistent.

Consistent prayer is how I made my faith my own in college. It’s how I cultivated friendship and companionship with Jesus and how my love of God expanded. If you’re about to begin college, or about to wrap up your time on campus, make it a priority to sit down with the Lord and converse with him daily.

Hannah Cote is a pastoral associate and copywriter for Damascus, an apostolate in Centerburg, Ohio. She is a recent graduate of Hillsdale College and former Register intern.

“I wish I really had [gone to career services] a lot sooner because that would have helped, but I didn’t know that was an option,” said LaFata, who is originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania, and is currently looking for a job in the Denver area.

According to a Statista projection, 4.61 million higher-education degrees were expected to be granted to the U.S. Class of 2023. Like LaFata, many Catholic college and university graduates have found help in finding a job, additional education or service help from their school’s career services office.

Employers plan to hire almost 15% more 2023 college graduates than they did the previous year, according to a job-outlook report by the Bethlehem-Pennsylvania-based National Association of Colleges

and Employers, a professional association connecting college career services professionals, university relations and recruiting professionals, and business solution providers.

While it’s too soon to know how this year’s graduates are faring, previous graduates of Catholic universities interviewed for this article show that 90% or more have had positive outcomes with jobs, internships, graduate school or other destinations six months after graduation.

For the Catholic universities featured in this article — all of which are included in the Register’s annual “Catholic Identity College Guide” — their graduates are gravitating toward careers in business, engineering, computer science, health care, cyber security and criminal justice, said the universities’ career services experts.

Employers and students are also showing more interest in sales and data analytics, said Ryane Cheatham, associate employer relations director at Washington, D.C.based The Catholic University of America (CUA).

Psychology graduates are finding jobs in human resources, business and counseling, said Kevin Allan, director of career services at University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Liberal arts graduates of University of Dallas in Irving, Texas, are finding jobs in business, teaching, health care, legal, nonprofit or tech and finance jobs, reported Gaby O’Neill, interim career services director.

Liberal arts skills of writing, communication and information synthesis are in demand among employers, said Mark McGuire, career services director at Franciscan University, who also noted that graduates are pursuing careers in diverse areas such as Christian ministry or the defense industry.

Along with communication skills, employers are also looking for social intelligence, McGuire said.

Tony Chiappetta, director of CUA’s Center for Academic Career Success, said, “It’s important that they talk with their adviser, so they make sure they’ve got a very good stable foundation for what they’re building on for their time here and their time after,” he said.

University career offices help students build that foundation as underclassmen and later develop job-search strategies that may include academic and career advising, mentoring, online and video resources, job-skills coaching, career fairs, networking opportuni-

HANNAH

YOUNG WORKFORCE. Above, students attend a career fair at The Catholic University of America. Inset, Francis LaFata utilized career services at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Courtesy of subjects and CUA

YOU WERE MADE FOR MORE. MORE.

At the University of Mary, your education is about much more than a diploma. It’s about becoming who you’re called to be — for Life.

Our top-ranked programs integrate world-class career preparation with solid Catholic teaching, equipping future servant leaders to meet the challenges of our time with steadfast courage and invincible joy. With our vibrant campus culture and rich liturgical life, you’ll discover countless opportunities for authentic fellowship and spiritual growth. Unlock

aid: Visit Donnelly.edu for more information.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 10:1

Why Donnelly

As the No. 1 most diverse college in the Midwest, Donnelly College offers high-quality programs and personalized support services to ensure that low-income, minority and first-generation college students excel in their academic studies. With full-time tuition under $10,000, Donnelly is committed to keeping a private, Catholic college education accessible to all.

FRANCISCAN MISSIONARIES OF OUR

Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $19,300 for tuition, room, board and fees

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: Financial aid is informal and by request. We will not deny a student because of inability to pay.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 2:1

Why Collegium The Collegium is the most affordable private college in the country, a classical liberal arts program with an integrated work component, the only four-year college specifically dedicated to embracing tradition, and a deep experience of Catholic faith formation: We live together, eat together, study together, and pray together.

DIVINE MERCY UNIVERSITY

��45154 Underwood Lane, Sterling, VA 20166

�� (703) 416-1441

�� DivineMercy.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 520

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 3

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes, daily

n Places Where Students Can Study

Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: Varies per program

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid:

Array of scholarships, ranging from 10% up to 50%.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: Varies

per program; otherwise small ratio; M.S. in counseling, 1:12.

Why DMU Divine Mercy University (DMU) is a Catholic institution formed to train leaders in the field of psychology. According to its mission statement, “the University is dedicated to the renewal of the Catholic-Christian intellectual tradition and the integration of the theoretical and empirical bases of psychology and a Catholic view of the human person.” The university is dedicated to the scientific study of psychology with a Catholic understanding of the person, marriage and the family. The university offers a doctoral (Psy.D.) degree in clinical psychology, a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in psychology and a Master of Science degree (M.S.) in counseling.

DONNELLY COLLEGE

��608 N. 18th Street, Kansas City, KS 66102

�� (913) 621-8700

�� Donnelly.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 561

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study:

More than 9 majors

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes, Wednesdays

n Places Where Students Can Study

Abroad: Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Portugal; domestic trips: Chicago, Memphis, St. Louis

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $9,990 (full-time enrollment) before financial aid is applied.

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial

n

ties and employer information. The assistance is available beyond graduation if needed, according to career services leaders interviewed.

Career planning begins as students are selecting their majors and minors. University of Dallas undergraduates have contact with the career office throughout their academic career as they discern both their career path and vocation, O’Neill said.

The university’s career office works with campus ministry to help students discern the spiritual aspects of choosing a career, she said.

“Many students think they know what they want to do but change their minds,” said Chiappetta. CUA freshmen and sophomores receive help choosing their major from career staff and faculty advisers.

Discovering a Vocation

Where Students Can Study Abroad: Portugal

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $15,690.56

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 21%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 30:1

Why FranU Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is a Catholic, not-for-profit institution with a health care emphasis. The university offers degrees in nursing, health sciences, humanities, behavioral sciences and natural sciences. It is a student-centered academic community committed to the pursuit of the common good and devoted to excellence in teaching and learning.

*Board and faculty members are Catholic and non-Catholic. FranU does not offer confession.

FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY OF STEUBENVILLE

��1235 University Blvd., Steubenville, OH 43952

�� (740) 283-3771

�� Franciscan.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 3,656

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: associate’s degree majors: 7;

Helping students discover their vocation and the gospel of work are at the core of what Harmel Academy of the Trades tries to do, said David Michael Phelps, president of the Grand Rapids, Michigan, academy. For men who still are discerning a trade career, the academy begun offering a gap-year program last year that includes spiritual discernment and hands-on experience in several trades

Discerning college students also benefit from career fairs that give information about different fields, as well as from one-on-one advising, several of the career leaders said.

Career fairs that are university wide, or specifically for sales, business, medical engineering or other fields, also give CUA students opportunities to meet with job recruiters, Cheatham said.

As they approach graduation, juniors and seniors consult career services for job-search help, including with résumé writing, practice interviews, internships, mentorships and online job and employer resources. Allan said his office helps students with résumés, cover letters and interviewing.

“It’s sitting down and maybe getting help with interviewing skills

and strategies, maybe learning questions they might be asked.”

The staff also help students use LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook platforms in their job searches, he said, as well as Handshake, a jobsearch network of more than 12 million active student users, 1,400 college and university partners and 750,000 employers.

Job seekers need to know how to write and format their résumés not only for human but also AI screeners because some employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), McGuire said.

“We spend a lot of time trying to inform and help the student understand what they’re facing, from a technological point of view.”

Understanding technology is important, but because students also benefit from the experience of

— MARK MCGUIRE, CAREER SERVICES DIRECTOR AT FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY

a mentor, University of Dallas is building a “culture of mentorship,”

O’Neill said. The university offers mentorships for grads and firstgeneration students; and students also can shadow a professional on the job. “Any student or alum that we talked to who has graduated from the university has said, ‘This has benefited me.’”

The University of Mary also offers job shadowing and social events with employers, Allan said.

Job-seeking students benefit from networking with employers and alumni at CUA events, Cheatham said. “Recruiters as well as alums are willing to share the journey,” she said, adding that the university’s Center for Academic Career Success also helps students obtain internships and connect with employers.

Unlike traditional college students, Harmel Academy students

interview for jobs when they start their education because they work and learn their trade as part of an apprenticeship, Phelps said. The academy has friendships with many machine shops in western Michigan and works with them to place students.

“In a way it’s a little less like an application to a college and more like an interview for a job.”

Students in Harmel’s two-year program start on a career track in the academy’s Machine & Systems Technology program and work part time at their apprenticeship as they complete technical and humanities studies. Academy graduates continue working at their jobs for several more years to finish their apprenticeships to become journeyman machinists, Phelps said.

Another student who worked in her field while earning her degree is 2023 University of Mary nursing graduate Mary Favorite.

In June, Favorite, 22, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, started her job in the emergency center at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, where last summer she interned and during her senior year did a shorter clinical assignment. A university course on transitioning to professional nursing especially helped Favorite develop interview questions.

“The nursing shortage is incredible right now,” she said, “and so they really wanted to emphasize that we have the opportunity ... to search for the environment that we best fit into.” Susan Klemond writes from St. Paul, Minnesota.

What to Bring to Campus

Adoration: Yes, daily

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Austria

n Annual Cost of Tuition: 7,500

euros

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 100%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 4:1

Why ITI Founded at the direct request of Pope St. John Paul II, ITI is an international school; classes are conducted in English, and degrees are granted by the Holy See. Faithful to the magisterium, ITI brings together students from all over the world. It seeks to be a place of interchange between diverse cultures and a living experience of the universal Church.

JOHN PAUL THE GREAT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

��220 W. Grand Ave., Escondido, CA 92025 �� (858) 653-6740

�� JPCatholic.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 300

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 18

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: spring break Europe trip to Italy, France and Ireland; Los Angeles internship quarter

bachelor’s degree majors: 40;

master’s degree majors: 11

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes, daily

n Places Where Students Can Study

Abroad: Gaming, Austria

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $30,620

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 95%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 14:1

Why Franciscan U

The mission of Franciscan University of Steubenville is to embrace the Catholic call to encounter, conversion and community, and to educate, evangelize and send forth joyful disciples. Those who apply set themselves on a path to intellectual, professional and spiritual formation that’s as rigorous and demanding as it is faithful.

HARMEL ACADEMY OF THE TRADES

��3333 East Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525

�� (616) 485-2345

�� HarmelAcademy.org

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 23

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 3

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study

Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $18,500 per year, which covers room and board.

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 82% receive some form of financial aid; $24,655, average financial aid package, not including loans.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 12:1

Why Harmel Harmel Academy of the Trades is a post-secondary institution where men learn how to become technical experts in a skilled trade, while also being personally developed in their Catholic faith. We are a twoyear Catholic men’s trade college with a strong humanities program and Catholic culture. We have been interviewed and featured in both the Register and EWTN.

HOLY APOSTLES COLLEGE & SEMINARY

��33 Prospect Hill Road, Cromwell, CT 06416 �� (860) 632-3010

�� HolyApostles.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 654

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 3

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study

Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $1,185 per three-credit-hour course

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid:

82% receive some form of financial aid; $24,655, average financial aid package, not including loans.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 12:1

Why Holy Apostles Holy Apostles College & Seminary offers an authentic and academically excellent Catholic liberal arts education. Rooted in the Thomistic tradition, we provide students with the tools to relentlessly pursue the truth in evangelization, develop a thoroughly Catholic worldview based in faith and reason, and grow in love to become faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. Holy Apostles has

been cultivating Catholic leaders for evangelization since the 1950s on our quiet and beautiful campus located in Cromwell, Connecticut.

HOLY CROSS COLLEGE

��54515 State Road 933 N., P.O. Box 308, Notre Dame, IN 46556-308

�� (574) 239-8377

�� HCC-ND.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 500

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 12 majors and 21 minors

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes; once a week with confession and every First Friday of the month; confession offered twice a week.

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: St. Mary’s University Twickenham, London, and the JP2 Project in Kraków, Poland

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $34,100

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 82% received some form of financial aid; $24,655 is average financial aid package, not including loans.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 12:1

Why Holy Cross Holy Cross College is faithful to Christ and the Church and seeks to offer a liberal arts education that is rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition, the Church’s authentic social doctrine, and the charism of the Congregation of Holy Cross. In its efforts to form scholars, citizens, leaders and disciples, Holy Cross College recognizes that Jesus Christ is the reason for its existence and that He alone makes saints today and saints for all eternity.

ITI CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

��Schlossgasse 21, 2521 Trumau, Austria

�� +43 2253 218 08 �� ITI.ac.at

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 90

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 5

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $29,400 per academic year (3 quarters)

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 99% receive institutional scholarships

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 19:1

Why John Paul the Great JPCatholic is the Catholic university for creative arts and business innovation. We combine hands-on instruction in media and business with an enriching Catholic liberal arts education. Experience small class sizes, mentorship from industry professionals, and a community of creative Catholics who believe in the power of beauty to transform culture.

MAGDALEN COLLEGE OF THE LIBERAL ARTS

��511 Kearsarge Mountain Road, Warner, NH 01463 �� (603) 456-2656

�� Magdalen.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 58

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 4

n Mandatum: Yes

Why Magdalen Magdalen’s uniquely small class sizes allow for excellent “Socratic Seminar” conversations, and our 6:1 faculty/ student ratio allows students to easily engage with their professors inside and outside the classroom.

MARYVALE INSTITUTE

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study

Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: 3,120

euros

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: Various

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 7:1

Why Maryvale

A distance-learning education institute, providing courses in religious education, catechesis, philosophy and theology.

MOUNT ST. MARY’S SEMINARY & SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

��6616 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati OH 45230

�� (513) 231-2223

�� Athenaeum.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 200

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 5

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $22,800; $600/per graduate credit hour

n Typical % of students who

receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid:

All seminarians are sponsored by a diocese. Approximately 10% of lay students receive financial aid.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 6:1

Why St. Mary’s Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology offers experience-driven programs, integrating current ministerial practices, leadership development, and networking opportunities designed to facilitate growth in the student’s ministry.

MOUNT ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY

��16300 Old Emmitsburg Road, Emmitsburg, MD 21727

�� (800) 448-4347

�� MSMary.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 2,456 total (1,896 undergraduate)

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: More than 90 majors and minors

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes, daily

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Semester-long programs in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Athens, Greece; Cuenca, Ecuador; Dublin, Ireland; and Florence, Italy, with recurring short programs in Austria, Taiwan, Costa Rica, France, India, Italy, Morrocco, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania and Vietnam.

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $45,660

n Typical % of students who receive

scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: Average financial aid package of $36,155.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Why Mount St. Mary’s Mount St. Mary’s lives our mission by graduating ethical leaders who are inspired by a passion for learning and lead lives of significance in service to God and others.

*Coed dorms with single-gender floors

OUR LADY SEAT OF WISDOM

��P.O. Box 249, 18 Karol Wojtyla Sq., Barry’s Bay, Ontario, K0J 1B0 Canada

�� (613) 756-3082

�� SeatofWisdom.ca

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 95

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: Bachelor of Catholic Studies in 5 disciplines

n Mandatum: N/A; diocesan bishop presides over faculty’s yearly “Oath of Fidelity”

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes, daily

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: IRCOM: Anger, France; Campion in Sydney, Australia

n Annual Cost of Tuition: CAD $8,950 (international: US $9,995)

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: approximately 67%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Why Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College is a faithfully Catholic liberal arts college in Barry’s Bay, Ontario, offering a three-year Bachelor of Catholic Studies degree. Distinctives include small class sizes, a strong academic program, Catholic orthodoxy, a vibrant campus life and close-knit community, and affordable tuition.

PONTIFEX UNIVERSITY

��4465 Northside Drive, NW (official office; no physical campus), Atlanta, GA 30327

�� (302) 572-9044

�� Pontifex.University

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 300 and growing

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: Master of Sacred Arts, theology doctorate and master’s in theological studies; Master of Education in Catholic school administration and education doctorate in Catholic education

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can

Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: 8 credits, $2,450

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: clergy/religious a 25% tuition discount for master’s-level courses.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Why Pontifex Pontifex University is almost 100% online; we have institutional partners who offer residential workshops, e.g., the Theology of the Body Institute, but our operations are all online.

PONTIFICAL COLLEGE JOSEPHINUM

�� 7625 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43235

�� (614) 885-5585

�� PCJ.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 79

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 4

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $39,665$45,252

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid:

various

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: N/A

Why the Josephinum The Josephinum is independent of a particular diocese or religious charism, staffed by many religious and diocesan priests. It is national, forming seminarians from religious orders and dioceses across the country, and is the only pontifical seminary in the United States.

PONTIFICAL JOHN PAUL II INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES ON MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

��620 Michigan Ave., NE, McGivney Hall, Washington, DC 20064

�� (202) 526-3799

�� JohnPaulII.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 75

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: Theology and Philosophy

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: No (weekly Mass)

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $9,550 per semester

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 90%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 5:1

Why John Paul II Institute

The John Paul II Institute seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the person, marriage and family faithful to the Catholic magisterial tradition in light of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and Pope John Paul II, by means of a multidisciplinary education. Such fundamental study requires profound reflection that is at once theological, philosophical, anthropological and cosmological-scientific.

POPE ST. JOHN XXIII

NATIONAL SEMINARY

��558 South Ave., Weston, MA 02493 �� (781) 899-5500

�� PSJS.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 45

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: the formation of priests; Master of Divinity program only

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $43,000 annual tuition, room and board

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: N/A; a man is sponsored by his bishop/ diocese.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 10:1

Why John XXIII Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary forms men ages 30-60 for Roman Catholic priesthood. It is a delayed vocation, where mature men have had life experiences that they can leverage when they are working in a parish and guiding parishioners to a deeper relationship with God and his Church.

SACRED HEART SEMINARY & SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

��7335 S. Hwy 100 (U.S. 45), Franklin, WI 53132 �� (414) 425-8300 �� SHSST.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 205

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 5

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where

Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid:

of M.A. students

Ratio: 4:1

Sacred Heart Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology provides specialized programs to meet the needs of our seminarian sponsors and offers Master of Arts degrees for laity.

University of Mary Offers Catholic Montessori Master’s in Education

Bismarck Diocese Highlights Child-Motivated Method

BY PATTI ARMSTRONG

BISMARCK, North Dakota — At

Christ the King School in Mandan, North Dakota, by 2015, enrollment had dipped below 70 students — the lowest ever. Closing the K-6 school seemed inevitable.

But the next year saw a needed transition that has kept the school going strong ever since.

Today, the same school serves 200 children, with parents often putting their children’s names on the 100-plus waiting list years ahead of time. The dramatic turnaround came about through the school becoming a Catholic Montessori school.

The success has led to three other Catholic Montessori schools in the Bismarck Diocese: St. Bernard Catholic Indian Mission School on the Standing Rock Reservation, St. Joseph School, part of St. Joseph parish in Mandan that serves preschool and elementary students, and School of the Holy Family, also part of St. Joseph’s parish, which has grades seven to 12.

In response to this growing interest both locally and nationally, the University of Mary (UMary) in Bismarck has begun offering a Catholic Montessori master’s degree in education degree. And that spark from Christ the King has also spread to include a new religious order of sisters in Mandan, dedicated to serving in Catholic Montessori education.

The Montessori Method

It was more than 100 years ago that Maria Montessori (1870-1952), a Catholic educator and physician from Italy, developed a holistic approach that fosters self-motivated growth for children integrating all areas of learning — cognitive, emotional, social, physical and spiritual.

This method set off a movement that continues in Montessori schools in more than 110 countries and was foundational in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd faith-formation program. In its purest sense, Montessori learning integrates the Catholic faith just as Montessori intended.

According to the American Montessori Society, there are currently an estimated 22,000 Montessori programs, with nearly 4,000 of them in the U.S. Most are private schools, although public Montessori programs have doubled in the last 15 years to around 450.

Christ the King

Father Nick Schneider, former pastor of Christ the King, told the Register that when he was considering the switch, after observing the Way of the Shepherd Catholic Montessori School in Minnesota, he was sold.

“Dr. Montessori herself said it’s the children themselves that are the best advocate for this method,” he said. “By the end of the day, I was in tears at what I saw: the dignity and respect children showed for each other and the seamless way faith was woven into everything.”

He was impressed with the high level of work being done and how the children interacted.

“On the drive home, I thought that even if we didn’t need to make a change, I would really want to give this a shot.”

The school board agreed to the transition and offered to pay for Montessori certification for teachers who chose to stay. It requires a bachelor’s degree — not necessarily in education — and takes one to two years to complete.

The school began at the lower grades with what Montessori terms the “Children’s House” for ages 3 to 6. One mother, who saw her younger child loving school and able to do her older brother’s homework that he was struggling with, asked Father Schneider, “Can we make the whole school Montessori now?”

It took three years to complete the transition to include the two upperelementary rooms, which are fourth through sixth grade, where Father Schneider is a lead teacher; he will also be teaching one of the Montessori classes at University of Mary for the Montessori program. In addition, he is director of worship at the Church of St. Vincent DePaul (Crown Butte). The Montessori method, he

explained, “considers individual student needs and abilities and how to create the least obstacles to excitement in the classroom.”

Teachers are called “guides,” since learning is child-motivated and can include things like planting, building, baking, embroidery and art.

“Dr. Montessori would say the only object big enough to meet a child’s reasoning and creative mind is the entire universe,” Father Schneider said. “So we introduce every kind of study that appeals to their mind, beginning with creation, asking:

‘How is it that God without hands creates everything that is?’”

Science, he explained, begins with God putting laws into things and everything that exists obeys those laws, such as with the three states of matter: gas, liquid and solid.

“Geology, hydrology, the atmosphere, all the work that matter does … all of those laws are in harmony and point to God,” he said.

Subjects are interwoven with religion. “Dr. Montessori had a keen understanding of the child’s relationship with God and with the Church,” Father Schneider said.

“She noticed children capable of an interior life that was unexpected by adults.”

A Religious Order

The school receives assistance from a new religious order dedicated to Montessori education. Servants of the Children of Light, a public association of the Christian faithful for women, was established in October 2020 by Bishop David Kagan with Sister Chiara Therese. She had been with an order in Europe that dissolved, so she returned home to Bismarck.

“I was helping at the Montessori school, and the Lord made it clear to begin an order dedicated to Catholic Montessori education,” she said. Only later did she and Father Schneider, independent of one another, discover Maria Montessori had written of her desire for a religious order to continue the work. Sister Chiara explained, “We are here to help draw out the ‘hidden potencies’ in the child; to honor and respect the workings of Christ in the soul of the child so that he may be loved and respected for who he is and who he will become.”

Three More Schools Adapt

The success at Christ the King inspired Father Josh Waltz, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Mandan, as school enrollment hovered around just 50 pupils.

They began in 2019 with the Chil-

dren’s House. Only 40% of the students stayed, but there are now 152 students enrolled for the fall. The junior high opened in 2021, with the high school following in 2022.

“One of the cool things is that we kept every kid from grade school to high school and a couple of families have come back,” Father Waltz said.

There are no phones allowed at school. Students interested in sports can co-op with the local public school or St. Mary’s High School in Bismarck.

“There is a lot more communication and interaction between kids and teachers,” Father Waltz said. “Someone from DPI [Department of Public Instruction] who came to do an assessment said, ‘Wow, the kids really communicate. You don’t see that anymore.’”

“We don’t have a school; we have a family,” Father Waltz emphasized, noting that donations and volunteers have been vital to the school’s transformation. “To make this transition, it’s a ton of work, and it’s not going to be done in a year, but it’s worth it.”

Msgr. Chad Gion, pastor of the Catholic Indian Mission in Fort Yates, began to transition St. Bernard’s school in 2019, with 3- to 5-year-olds, and in 2021 added the 6- to 9-yearolds. According to Sandy Gallagher, the school’s business manager, their goal for the K-8 school, which has 30 students, is to provide certification for the next two levels over the next three to five years. “The children at St. Bernard Mission School come to us with a variety of needs and backgrounds,” Gallagher explained.

“Montessori allows us to meet the children where they are and allows the children to move in a positive direction at a level of learning that maintains their interest and promotes self-motivation and self-discipline. They are excited to come to school. Just this last year we had children that were outside for recess ask to come back inside and do schoolwork.”

Master’s Degree

The University of Mary in Bismarck, in response to the growing demand for Montessori teachers throughout the U.S. and locally, has launched a Catholic Montessori Master’s in Education degree beginning this fall.

Mike Taylor, the director of Catholic studies for graduate education, described the new venture as being consistent with the university’s Benedictine mission to serve.

“We try to engage this world,” he said. “We saw a need of Catholic

Finding Christ in College

Students Encounter the Church and Convert on Their Secular Campuses

church. When she had faith-related questions, they were always directed to her grandpa, who taught classes at his Catholic church. “When my grandpa passed away when I was young, my questions never fully went away, but a desire to grow in my faith was kindled,” she said. Moran, a junior majoring in political science, was welcomed into the Church this past Easter.

In high school, Moran studied the Bible and tried to find a singular book that could summarize both Church history and apologetics. Little did she know at the time that the Catechism of the Catholic Church would help with her seeking.

BY ELAINE GUNTHORPE

Christ enters into everyone’s life in different ways.

College is a particularly faith-filled time for students, who are encountering Christ through the Church on non-Catholic campuses across the country.

University of Maryland

Jim Demory, a senior history major at the University of Maryland, was welcomed into the Church this past year at Easter.

He is a member of the Catholic Terps, the nickname for the Catholic Student (Newman) Center community on campus.

Demory said that taking a philosophy class and reading Plato’s Allegory of the Cave helped him to want to “chase the truth, no matter what form it took.”

Demory also said that having

good Catholic friendships prompted him to pursue the truth.

Through friends, he said, he was introduced to the idea of becoming Catholic and worked through misconceptions.

The Eucharist, he explained, first prompted him to convert, as he came to believe — through both historical and scriptural evidence — that the Eucharist was in fact the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ.

Despite his belief, the young man was hesitant to become Catholic and wanted a sign from God to do so. So, one day, he asked God to give him a sign and answer a question he had regarding creation.

Within minutes, he recalled, a priest talked to him about the creation story.

The next week, Demory was attending daily Mass and asked God again to give him a sign to convert, “just to be really sure,” he

recalled. During the Universal Prayer (Prayer of the Faithful), he said that the priest prayed that the “people who are thinking about converting to the Catholic Church be led to do so.”

Within an hour of leaving that Mass, Demory sent an email requesting to join the OCIA group. And then, on Easter 2023, he was fully initiated into the Catholic Church.

Columbia Law School

Marina Frattaroli, a Columbia Law School student, is also a recent convert.

The graduate of Duke University, who double majored in art history and religious studies, decided to pursue law in New York.

During her undergraduate years, she studied Gothic cathedrals; she recalled how the church edifices “evangelized” her, but that she didn’t know it at the time.

THE VALUE OF A CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Colin wanted an education to connect his faith with the modern world. He found it at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

“MY FAITH HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY SINCE I’VE BEEN AT SAINT FRANCIS. I LOVE THE FELLOWSHIP WITHIN CAMPUS MINISTRY. WE HAVE DEEP FRIENDSHIPS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SAME GOAL: TO BETTER OUR LIVES, GROW OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS, AND SERVE THE WORLD.”

COLIN W HITE, CLASS OF 2023

While taking a particular course, she studied their development, and it exposed her to the theology that guided their design, which was part of the pursuit of “incorporating ever more light into the interiors to revere God as the ultimate Light,” she said.

While taking another course on ancient Christianity, she was left dissatisfied, since the material that she was studying was “full of concerns that were unfamiliar” to her.

A Protestant at the time, she began questioning Catholic teaching on subjects such as martyrs, the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

But these ancient Christians, she said, guided her towards Catholicism.

Resources such as social media, educational books from Matthew Kelly and Scott Hahn, and the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) missionaries at

Columbia proved to be invaluable to her faith journey, as well.

Attending Catholic churches around campus and attending FOCUS missionary-led events helped the law student further discern and seek understanding of Church doctrine.

Rereading the Gospels prompted Frattaroli to pay close attention to things like the setting, tone and order of events. When it came to reading the Last Supper account, she was stunned at how beautiful the details were. And when she read the words “This is my body,” everything began to coalesce, and she began catechesis. She entered the Church last December.

Hillsdale College

Coming from a nondenominational Christian background, Carly Moran’s family never really attended

Then, in college, she was invited to attend Mass with one of her friends, and she knew that she felt at home in the Catholic Church.

“I fell in love,” Moran recalled, elaborating: “I also fell in love in the traditional sense” of being captivated by the Mass.

Throughout this journey, Moran recalled that, ironically, joining a sorority helped her become closer to God, too. The community of women helped her understand the Catholic faith in an “approachable, beautiful way.”

“Becoming Catholic has added a level of depth to my prayer life I never had before. I feel like I truly have a personal connection with Christ, with that largely being due to the Eucharist, Rosary and confession,” she told the Register.

She added: “I am far from perfect, especially being new, but that is why we rely upon the beauty of

The University of Saint Francis offers generous Catholic and community service scholarships. Learn more at go.sf.edu/scholarships.

FAITH FOUND. The new Catholics from Hillsdale College smile at the Easter vigil 2023. Courtesy of Jim Demory

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $795/per credit hour

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: More than 90%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 10:1

Why St. Bernard’s St. Bernard’s is a Roman Catholic graduate school seeking to reunite theology, prayer and sanctity by educating and assisting men and women in academic, ministerial, interpersonal and spiritual formation for the purpose of serving the Church through diverse forms of lay and ordained ministries, theological scholarship and Christian service in society.

ST. CHARLES BORROMEO SEMINARY

��100 E. Wynnewood Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096

�� (610) 667-3394

�� SCS.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Seminarians: 147

n Total No. of Dioceses and Religious Orders Served: 14

n Propaedeutic Stage: Yes; college year and pre-theology year

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Seminarian-to-Faculty Ratio: 7:1

Why St. Charles Borromeo

Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary is now in its 192nd year of formation and is one of the largest Catholic seminaries in the U.S. We are soon to enter into an exciting new period in our history as we relocate to a new campus in 2024-2025. Our program encompasses every stage of formation, including a free-standing, fully accredited College Seminary, a two-year Pre-Theology Program, and a Theological Seminary. We are also known for our pastoral formation; our apostolate program has our men spending one full day a week where they are in direct service for those in need with the goal of developing in the men a heart of service. Collegians serve in prisons, senior centers, working in special needs education, food pantries and homeless shelters, largely working with the poor and marginalized. PreTheology and Theology seminarians are given pastoral assignments to guide their development in how to be a shepherd of souls. They are assigned parishes where they learn firsthand the work of a pastor.

SAINT JOSEPH’S SEMINARY & COLLEGE

��201 Seminary Ave., Yonkers, NY 10704

(914) 968-6200

Dunwoodie.edu

n No. of Students: 175

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: Theology

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: No

n Annual Cost of Tuition: Visit Dunwoodie.edu for more information.

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: Visit Dunwoodie.edu for more information.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 1:9

Why Saint Joseph’s Saint Joseph’s is the principal institution of priestly formation for the Archdiocese of New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn, and the Diocese of Rockville Centre. The M.A. in Theology degree is offered to qualified candidates on our campuses in Yonkers, Huntington and Douglaston; classes in person and fully online.

SAINT VINCENT COLLEGE

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes, daily

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Africa — really anywhere the student wants to go can usually be worked out.

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $55,344 residential/$41,336 commuter

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 100%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 11:1

Why Saint Vincent

At Saint Vincent, you have a space to live and learn nestled in the heart of the picturesque Laurel Highlands —while being close enough to downtown Pittsburgh that you get the best of both worlds. Whether you like to see the sparkling lights of a bustling city or the glimmering stars in a rural sky, you’ll find it’s easy to see both at Saint Vincent.

*Coed dorms with single-gender floors or wings

SCHOOL OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES

��100 East Wynnewood Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096

�� (610) 785-6287

�� SCS.edu/school-of-theologicalstudies/

n No. of Students: 80

9 10

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 5

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: on site, $2,200 per course, plus $105 student fee per semester; online graduate course: $1,500.

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: various

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: N/A

Why STS The graduate school offers a Master of Arts in Theology that includes a ro

THOMAS AQUINAS COLLEGE

��10,000 Ojai Road, Santa Paula, CA 93060

�� (805) 525-4417

��231 Main Street, Northfield, MA 01360

�� (413) 846-1200

�� ThomasAquinas.edu

n No. of Students: 355 in California; 161 in New England

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study:

Single integrated classical curriculum that spans all the major disciplines

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: N/A

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $39,400

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 67% of students receive institutional financial aid, for an average of $18,079.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 1:11

Why TAC Thomas Aquinas College is the only faithfully Catholic college that offers a fully integrated Great Books curriculum that spans all the major disciplines and is taught entirely via classroom discussion. Our two campuses — California and New England — both foster intellectual, religious and moral formation, as well as lifelong friendships.

THOMAS MORE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS

��6 Manchester St., Merrimack, NH 03257

�� (603) 880-8308

�� ThomasMoreCollege.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 100

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study:

Thomas More College of Liberal Arts is unique in the purity of its vision: education of the mind and soul in the liberal arts, the Great Books and the Scriptures and theology of the Church, in a charitable community of fellows and students, each dedicated to the truth. Thus, the college affirms and enriches the age-old tradition, inherited from Greco-Roman civilization, of studying the humanities through the masterworks of Classical and Christian civilization. It holds with equal conviction that the path to Wisdom is best found with the good companions of the Catholic intellectual tradition — the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, whose lives were dedicated to understanding and living according to the Word of God.

UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

��17 Ilariona Sventsitskoho St., Lviv, Ukraine 79011

�� (773) 235-8462 (for UCU Foundation in U.S.)

�� UCU.edu.ua/en/; UCUFoundation.org

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 2,249

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 27

n Mandatum: Yes n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: No (not a general practice of Eastern Rite Catholic churches)

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Germany, Italy, France, Poland, U.S., Canada and others

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $4,200 undergraduate; $7,000 doctoral student, tuition and stipend n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 46%, though wartime is a special circumstance.

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 10:1

Why UCU It is an institution of the Eastern Rite Ukrainian Catholic Church. It is the only Catholic university in the former space of the Soviet Union (between Poland and Japan).

“An intimate pursuit

Just outside of Charloe, NC you'll find a welcoming Benedictine community that seeks the best for you. From #1 ranked faculty to championship-winning Division II coaches, and a monastic community that prays for you daily, you’ll find a cohort inspired by truth, and nurtured by love.

With support like that, you will realize your passions, forge a future, and fulfill the promise that God has for you.

of truth together.”

A Fountainhead of Renewal for the Church

Faith

“Faith isn’t just a concept at Ave Maria. I experience Christ’s love lived out every day from my classmates inviting me to daily Mass to the culture of prayer amongst the students.”

— Leila

Community

“The Ave community is special. Here, my friends are more than people I hang out with in my free time; they are my brothers and sisters in Christ striving for sanctity.”

— Lucas

Academics

“I’m supported and encouraged by professors who have become mentors (and even friends). They don’t only care about my grades, but also my vocation and salvation.”

— Sarah

undergraduates and 875 graduate students

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study:

27 majors, 5 pre-professional tracks, 34 concentrations, 16 4+1 programs; 22 master’s degrees, 4 doctoral programs; 7 graduate certificates

n Mandatum: Yes, required for all theology faculty

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes, daily

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Rome (on UD’s own Due Santi campus), Avila and Lyon

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $50,240 (undergraduate)

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 98%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 12:1

Why UDallas

The University of Dallas is a Catholic

liberal arts university known for its interdisciplinary undergraduate Core Curriculum and robust graduate programs. With campuses in Texas and Italy, UD stands apart as a thriving community of learners committed to education for a life well-lived.

*One coed dorm with single-gender floor and wing

UNIVERSITY OF MARY

�� 7500 University Drive, Bismarck, ND 58504

�� 701-355-8030

�� UMary.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 3,820

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 58 undergraduate; 18 master’s; 5 doctorates

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Whether you choose to attend our Rome campus, take a faculty-led trip to places like Israel, China, or Ireland, or participate in a medical mission to Peru, you’ll gain an international perspective of “leadership in the service of truth.”

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $19,084

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 99%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 14:1

Why UMary

At the University of Mary, our topranked programs integrate world-class

career preparation with solid Catholic teaching, equipping future servant leaders to meet our day’s challenges with steadfast courage and invincible joy. With our vibrant campus culture and rich liturgical life, you’ll discover countless opportunities for authentic fellowship and spiritual growth.

UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS

��2701 Spring St., Fort Wayne, IN 46808

�� (260) 399-7700 �� SF.edu

n No. of Students: 1,900

9 10

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 76

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: None

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $34,190

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 100%; average financial aid package: $29,988

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 12:1

Why University of Saint Francis The University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana, delivers a distinctively Catholic higher education in diverse fields such as the arts, health care and business. A Saint Francis education combines academic excellence with personal support and career opportunities in a community

welcoming to all.

*Coed dorms with single-gender floors or wings

UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS

�� 3800 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006

�� (713) 525-3500 �� StThom.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 3,314

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: 40 undergraduate majors and 30 graduate degrees

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Rome and elsewhere

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $33,660 (before scholarships and financial aid)

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: various

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Why UST Founded in 1947 by the Basilian Fathers, the University of St. Thomas embodies the principles of Ex Corde Ecclesiae, committed to the religious ethical and intellectual traditions of Catholic higher education.

*Coed dorms with single-gender floors or wings

WALSH UNIVERSITY

��2020 E. Maple St. NW, North Canton, OH 44720

�� (800) 362-9846

�� Walsh.edu

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

n No. of Students: 2,400

n No. of Majors/Areas of Study: More than 60

n Mandatum: Yes

n Daily or Weekly Eucharistic

Adoration: Yes

n Places Where Students Can Study Abroad: Austria, Haiti, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Tanzania, Uganda and Uruguay

n Annual Cost of Tuition: $32,780

n Typical % of students who receive scholarships and/or typical amount of financial aid: 98%

n Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 14:1

Why Walsh As a Catholic university welcoming students of all faiths, Walsh University continues to pursue its enduring mission: the creation of leaders through service to others. Our hope is that students leave Walsh with a sense of purpose about who they are

BY VIRGINIA AABRAM

Newman Centers and Catholic student cen-

ters are flourishing at large, public universities, where they minister to students hungry for the truth. They’re seeing packed Sunday Masses, large OCIA classes, and even crops of vocations.

Some have been so successful that they’re expanding their facilities to better meet student demand. Masses have become standing-room-only even at obscure hours, and aging facilities just can’t keep up with the vibrant campus life fostered by the Church in a new era. Not a bad problem, but a problem nonetheless.

Three large research universities are starting their first academic years with brand-new churches and Catholic student centers. The Register caught up with Catholic leaders at Kansas State University, Texas A&M and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst about their developments.

One of the major themes of the three new churches gracing these

campuses is a focus on beauty and tradition.

“There was no doubt that we were going to build a traditionallooking church because we believe there’s a particular beauty to it,” said Father Gale Hammerschmidt, pastor of St. Isidore’s Catholic Student Center at Kansas State University in Manhattan. “We know that beauty can captivate the soul. ... And we know the Catholic Church to be one of those pillars that will remain steady and has remained steady. And so to build a church like they were built 500 years ago, 1,000 years ago, seemed to make sense.”

Before the remodeling, St. Isidore had been surpassing its maximum capacity of 425 seats for more than a decade, and Sunday Masses usually accommodated several dozen more people in an overflow room. As an alum of the school, Father Hammerschmidt knew this problem well when he returned as pastor in 2017. He quickly set about raising $11 million toward the project, and the

“Benedictine graduates are agents of change.”

— Archbishop Joseph Naumann

new church was dedicated last January.

The planning team polled the students about what they wanted their new church to look like and seriously considered their input.

“And 99% of those students said, ‘We want our next church to look like a church,’” Father Hammerschmidt said, as in, they didn’t want anything too modern. “They would say as a subsidiary comment, ‘You know, like those churches in Europe.’”

The new building seats 650 and is ready to welcome more curious students seeking answers to life’s big questions.

Farther south at the largest university in the country, St. Mary’s Catholic Center of Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, dedicated a new church in July. Mark Knox, the director of campus ministry, took a break from welcoming Aggies back to campus to chat about the massive project.

“The church that we built in 1958 is now too small. We were having about eight Masses a weekend for many years, since I was a student in 2003,” he said. “And there were so many students we needed to build a bigger church, so we didn’t have to have so many Masses, and we could all sit. There were literally Masses where all the side aisles were full of people standing.”

The new St. Mary’s is nearly double the size of the old one, seating 1,500 people instead of 800. Everything’s bigger in Texas, and the fundraising campaign was no different. The team raised $33 million to buy the land and build the church that could better minister to the thousands of Catholic Aggies.

“We have three principles that were a guiding force to our design of our church, and that is beauty, encounter and tradition,” Knox said. “We wanted the church to be beautiful. We wanted the students to be able to encounter the Lord in their worship in that space. And we also wanted to bring in the tradition of the Church.”

There’s now room to minister to the hundreds of students who come to receive penance each week and the roughly 5,000 faithful pilgrims who come each Sunday. But the work is never done, Knox said.

“We’re pulling off a population of 5,000 out of 75,000. I’d say there’s a lot of room for us to grow.

Converts

CONTINUING PAGE B10 STORY

Christ’s grace.”

Another Hillsdale student, Josiah Jagoda, a junior majoring in philosophy, detailed his conversion and how when he first went to college he knew absolutely nothing about Catholicism and certainly did not know what the word “Eucharist” means.

“I had never even realized that there were Christians who believed something like Christ’s Real Presence,” Jagoda told the Register.

From then on, he was both shocked and curious to learn more about the faith, which eventually led him to his conversion and welcome into the Church last Easter.

With support from his sister Grace, who converted in Easter of his freshmen year, and his best friend, Jack, Jagoda was able to ask questions and lean on his support system on his path towards Catholicism.

In addition, he was most impacted by Love and Responsibility by Pope St. John Paul II, St. Augustine’s Confessions, and St. Thomas

UMary

CONTINUING PAGE B9 STORY

schools and school systems to have courses to complement the more traditional master’s in Catholic education. Montessori has been on our radar for a while, as we realized that Catholic schools are turning to Montessori to grow their enrollment.”

Tufte Brenda, associate dean of the Liffrig Family School of Education and Behavioral Sciences at UMary, explained that the degree accepts prior credits already earned in national Montessori certification.

“Part of the degree involves research so students will be doing

I mean, ideally, I’d love to see all 75,000 Aggies coming to Mass here, and there’s probably around 17,000 Catholics on the campus who we’re not reaching.”

But just having enough space at Mass is a step in the right direction, providing fertile ground for the seed of faith.

In New England, a region known for lovely little chapels, the newest gem is the chapel of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom at the Newman Center of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Father Gary Dailey, the center’s director, designed it himself.

The deteriorating condition of the old Newman Center made the new building a necessity. Father Dailey said it was costing too much in maintenance and repairs, having been built nearly 60 years ago.

“The chapel in our old building was built in the ’60s, and, you can imagine, nobody really enjoyed it,” he said. “But we have a more traditional chapel now. And the students and everyone who walks in the chapel — their first word is ‘Wow.’ So that’s always a good sign. The focal point of the Newman Center is really the chapel.”

Through the generosity of the community, Father Dailey quickly raised $2.4 million out of a $2-million goal. The construction was a different story. Shipping delays caused massive issues, including a crucial electrical piece that was missing for about a year. Only after Father Dailey asked two cloistered communities in the area to pray for the project did the piece show up.

The new center is smaller in

Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae

“I found in the Church the answer to all the emptiness of my faith life in high school,” he said. “Instead of being a component of how I was raised or my moral choices, my faith began to revolutionize how I looked at life and the world.”

Throughout his journey, he was taught a deeper understanding of love and was challenged through Catholic authors about his existing conception of God.

“I realized that no matter where I turned in the Church, I found a deeper and richer understanding of how our faith interacts with the world,” he added.

“I finally felt that there was a fullness to the Christian life that didn’t exist prior to my contact with Catholicism.”

University of Colorado-Boulder

Catholic conversions are also happening at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

Avery Hirsch, a senior studying public relations and sports media, knows this firsthand.

“Something that I have learned in college that has aided my conver-

research into Montessori,” she said.

“Maria Montessori herself was a physician, and she paid attention and documented a lot of her observations.

These scholars have the opportunity to contribute to the knowledge and understanding and have evidence to better understand why Montessori is working so beautifully.”

Cassandra Baker is a certified guide at Christ the King and the first student enrolled in the program.

As a former traditional teacher, she said it took a while to adjust to guiding as opposed to teaching a child to learn.

“I have to figure out what the child is trying to tell me,” Baker said.

“With the Catholic Montessori

square footage than the old one, which was sold to the university, but much more fitting for the center’s mission. The priests’ residence has been moved to a different location, and lower maintenance costs mean more money for student programming. There are places to hang out, study and form community, but the main focus is the chapel.

“The only thing that students asked was, ‘Father, could we have an altar rail?’ So we put an altar rail in,” Father Dailey said.

Ultimately, these places are about reaching searching souls who are at a formative age. Religiosity is declining around the country, and so fewer and fewer students have meaningfully connected with their faith or any faith by the time they reach college.

“Working with students is really amazing because they’re hungry. They’re hungry for the truth,” Father Dailey said.

A beautiful church is a good way to spark their interest and awaken their minds to the transcendent. “Our first hope is that people will simply stumble upon us based upon their hearts’ inquiry for beauty,” said Father Hammerschmidt. “They’re going to hear our church bells. They’re going to be interested in hearing from others about the beauty of this place. They’re going to be invited in, whether Catholic or not, and then once they get in, we do honestly believe that the beauty of this place will capture the heart even more.”

Virginia Aabram, a former Register intern, writes from Washington, D.C.

sion has been learning that I wasn’t being fulfilled in my relationships with others,” Hirsch said.

Hirsch said that when she met her “big sister” in her sorority, the young woman mentor served as an example and role model as to what life as a Catholic looks like.

Because of this example, Hirsch said that she “ended up falling in love with Catholicism.”

“Something that inspired me to convert to Catholicism is the outpouring of love that I felt from everyone in the Buffalo Catholic community, the virtuous friendships that had been created throughout my time in the community before conversion and the guidance from former FOCUS missionaries,” recalled the new Catholic, who also referenced helpful Catholic resources like FOCUS’ SEEK conferences.

Also, through daily Mass, she said she was able to “truly open my heart and understand myself and how Catholicism would affect and influence my life and those around me.”

Elaine Gunthorpe is a senior at Christendom College.

She served as an EWTN News intern for summer 2023.

method, there is great depth to working with children and understanding that it’s Christ within the child. That’s really beautiful.”

By getting a master’s degree in Montessori Catholic education, Baker said she hopes to further promote Montessori within Catholic education and help families incorporate the methods at home.

“That’s my passion,” she said, “to help parents bring Montessori into their family.”

“It would be amazing to eventually have a Catholic Montessori training here,” she added.

“But this is a good first step.”

Patti Armstrong writes from North Dakota.

How Faith Factors in When Choosing a College

Students Reflect on Important Aspects of the Decision-Making Process

BY EMILY LEHMAN

As students apply to college this fall, several weighty aspects go into their decision about where to attend: the availability of financial aid, available majors and academic and social life.

For many Catholic students, though, the ability to practice and grow their Catholic faith is a top priority when they consider highereducation options.

Students who attend some of the colleges featured in the Register’s annual “Catholic Identity College Guide” discussed their experience of college decision-making and growing their faith while in college.

“When I first came here, they showed a statistic for the times they have for confession, and it was insane to me,” said David Krymowski, a senior at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Benedictine has confession times available seven days a week, sometimes multiple times a day.

“The presence of the sacraments, and their availability to students for spiritual nourishment, was incredible,” said Krymowski, “and that was definitely one of the leading factors that caught my attention.”

Continued Formation

The colleges featured in the Register’s guide offer daily Mass, adoration and times for confession. For some students, this is an opportunity for growth and expansion of their Catholic practice after high school.

“In my high school we only had Mass once a week, and I don’t think we ever even had adoration,” said María Díaz-Rubín, a rising junior at John Paul the Great Catholic University in Escondido, California.

“But I think the biggest difference between high school for me and college is that in high school I kind of felt like I was going to Mass to please my parents, but when I’m in college, it’s something I’m doing because I want to and because I want to grow my relationship with God.”

Private devotion also flourishes at small Catholic colleges and universities. John Paul the Great students live in shared apartments and townhomes and meet at 8 p.m. for a Rosary.

At Wyoming Catholic College, in Lander, dorms gather in the evening for Evening Prayer and later at night for Night Prayer, according to

BY FASTING FROM THE LATEST TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY AND IMMERSING OURSELVES IN TRUE AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS, WYOMING CATHOLIC ALUMNI ARE BETTER EQUIPPED—NOT DISADVANTAGED—TO USE TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT BEING CONSUMED BY IT.

—Mary Frances Floody (‘19) mother and homemaker

the Liturgy of the Hours.

Teresa Amorose, a junior at Wyoming Catholic, emphasized the importance to her of “having something public like that, where you realize that the faith is something that should be public and shared.”

Nikolas Von Spakovsky, a senior at Belmont Abbey College, in Belmont, North Carolina, was drawn to Belmont Abbey because of the presence of Benedictine monks there.

Von Spakovsky has found that “having a monastery there helps to ground it and to remember its Catholic identity.”

Students are invited to participate in the daily prayer life of the

order, joining the monks’ choirs while they pray the Liturgy of the Hours.

One of the elements that drew Teresa Amorose to Wyoming Catholic was the connection between her faith and her studies. “The classes support the faith — not only are you taking theology, but through humanities and science and all these other things, you’re led to a greater appreciation of God working through nature and human history.” Amorose, who has attended the traditional Latin Mass from childhood, appreciates the emphasis Wyoming Catholic places on the relationship between sacramental life and academic studies: “John

IF THERE’S ONE THING ABOUT MY TIME AT WYOMING CATHOLIC THAT I’M MOST GRATEFUL FOR, IT’S A UNIFIED VISION OF THE WORLD. AS A PRIEST, I NEED THIS WHOLENESS TO LEAD OTHERS TO HEALING. I OWE MY VISION TO GOD’S GRACE AS IT UNFOLDED AT WYOMING CATHOLIC.

—Fr. Trevor Lontine (‘14) priest of the Archdiocese of Denver

Senior … he talks about how all of Christian culture grew out of the Mass.”

For Von Spakovsky, who is in the honors college at Belmont Abbey, the integration of faith with the curriculum was deeply important. He emphasized that the curriculum “does not shy away from that Catholic identity and in fact encourages students to bring that Catholic identity with them, to engage with it.”

Von Spakovsky, who was formed in a Catholic home-schooling environment and was involved in his church through high school, found this to be an integrating experience.

He said, “It helped me to ground myself and be secure: ‘Yeah, this is actually what I believe.’ People from all these different backgrounds are coming together at Belmont Abbey, and we all believe the same thing.”

For some students, sharing Catholic values with their college is tremendously important for the field they hope to pursue. John Paul the Great Catholic University, which focuses on the creative arts and business innovation, opened up the possibility for María Díaz-Rubín to pursue a childhood dream without being asked to make moral compromises. “I felt that if I came here I wouldn’t be forced to do anything I wasn’t comfortable with or that I would have to give up my morals to be in film,” she said. “That was really exciting for me because I was always really passionate about it.”

Catholic Community

“I knew right away that if I wanted to go to a college, I wanted it to be Catholic. I wanted to have a good community of Catholic students,” Nick Krymowski, a freshman at Benedictine College, told the Register. Many students emphasized the importance of communal life in helping grow their Catholic faith while in college.

When she first visited Wyoming Catholic College, Amorose was struck by “the friendliness and charity of the students,” citing the college’s no-technology policy as a reason the students are present to their peers. “Everybody is a lot more open and happy to talk, and friendly and welcoming.”

The Catholic life of the college

flows out into the broader community: Wyoming Catholic celebrates the feast of St. Joseph the Worker (May 1) every year with a street fair, to which the faculty and local townspeople are invited.

Amorose said, “That seems really important to me. The faith is something public. ... If you celebrate it, it’s worth celebrating with your whole self, with your body as well as your soul.”

“The professors [at John Paul the Great Catholic University] genuinely care about their students, and I feel like I have such a personal relationship with a lot of them, and the students here are really kind,” Díaz-Rubín said.

Krymowski, who has been involved in ministry as well as working as a resident assistant at Benedictine, emphasized the impact of these experiences on his personal formation and outlook toward the world. He has learned “how to bring this culture and this community that I’ve experienced here to other people, articulate it in a better way, live it out in circles and groups and places that this Catholic identity is foreign to.”

Some students seek out faithfilled colleges growing out of positive high-school experiences of the faith, like Amorose, who shared that she chose Wyoming Catholic from a short list of Catholic liberal arts schools. Others have found in the process of attending how much the Catholic faith means to them.

“I was already given a pretty solid Catholic education, and I was very involved at my church, but coming to Belmont Abbey has really helped me take my faith to the next level,” said Von Spakovsky.

“Definitely I would say I needed a change,” added Krymowski. “It wasn’t something I realized that I would truly benefit from and that would aid me in not just spiritual, but basic formation as a person, until I came to Benedictine. ... Then I got to see really how much that has impacted and really shaped who I am.”

Emily Lehman is a visiting researcher at the University of Notre Dame and the artistic director for Core Virtues at the University of Dallas.

ALL OF US NEED TO BE TAUGHT HOW TO BE HUMAN. SOME OF US NEED TEACHING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, SOME FROM THE INSIDE OUT. WITH THE COMBINATION OF OUTDOOR PROGRAM AND ACADEMICS, WYOMING CATHOLIC GIVES US BOTH.

—Marietta Mortenson (‘26) rising junior at Wyoming Catholic College

BENEDICTINE COLLEGE, GROTTO