Pontifical North American College (U.S. National Seminary)
| Pontifical North American College | |
|---|---|
| Short name | NAC |
| Type | Seminary (Pontifical College) |
| Status | Active |
| Affiliation | Holy See, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops |
| Partner dioceses | Dioceses across the United States, with recent seminarians also from Canada and Australia |
| Operated by | Board of Governors (one bishop elected from each of the fifteen U.S. episcopal regions); under the immediate supervision of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops |
| City | Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Founded | 1859 |
| Website | Official site |
| Levels of formation | Theology |
| Pontifical status | Yes (granted 1884) |
| Interdiocesan | Yes |
The Pontifical North American College (NAC) is a pontifical seminary in Rome, Italy, that forms diocesan seminarians sponsored by dioceses from across the United States—joined in recent years by seminarians from Canada and Australia—for the Catholic priesthood. Founded in 1859 at Pope Pius IX's call for an American college in Rome, it was granted pontifical status in 1884, placing it under the special patronage of the Holy See.
History
On December 7, 1859, twelve American seminarians entered the newly founded Pontifical North American College on Humility Street in Rome, established in response to Pope Pius IX's call to the American hierarchy to found a college in Rome for clerics from their own nation. In 1884, the College was granted pontifical status, placing it under the special patronage of the Apostolic See and the care of the Holy Father, and making it the direct concern of the Congregation for the Clergy. The College's current building atop the Janiculum Hill, overlooking the dome of Saint Peter's Basilica and the city of Rome, was dedicated in 1953.
Campus and Formation
Seminarians reside at the Janiculum Hill campus, where they attend Mass and liturgies as a community, share meals, and meet with spiritual directors and formation advisors. For intellectual and theological formation, they attend various pontifical universities in Rome, and they take part in charitable works and ministries throughout the city as part of their pastoral formation. The College also includes the Casa Santa Maria, located in the original seminary building on Humility Street, which houses American priests pursuing graduate degrees and serves pilgrims through the Bishops' Office for United States Visitors to the Vatican, as well as the Institute for Continuing Theological Education, located in the Casa O'Toole on the Janiculum campus, for priests on sabbatical.
Academics
The priestly formation program is governed by the principles and directives of the Second Vatican Council's Optatam totius, the Congregation for Catholic Education's Ratio Fundamentalis institutionis sacerdotalis, Pope John Paul II's post-synodal apostolic exhortation Pastores dabo vobis, and the Program of Priestly Formation of the Bishops of the United States. Seminarians deepen their understanding of priesthood through theological studies, prayerful reflection on Scripture and Tradition, and pastoral service opportunities, under the guidance of a formation faculty of priests and religious.
Current Status
The College is the direct concern of the Congregation for the Clergy and operates under the immediate supervision of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Its Board of Governors is composed of one bishop elected from each of the fifteen episcopal regions of the United States. The current seminary community is composed of students sponsored by dioceses across the United States, along with seminarians from Canada and Australia. The current Rector is Rev. Msgr. Thomas W. Powers, S.T.L. '97, the 24th Rector of the College.