Support the NAC

Thank you for your interest in supporting The Pontifical North American College – America’s seminary in Rome! No other American seminary does what we do – where we do it. Forming well over 300 seminarians and priests each year, the College is truly an excellent investment for anyone wanting to help strengthen the Catholic Church. Here are just a few reasons to support our mission:

  • Since being established by Pope Pius IX in 1859, the College has offered a unique program of human, intellectual, pastoral and spiritual formation that equips priests to return to America and serve the Church as holy, faithful priests.
  • Situated on 12 acres adjacent to the Vatican in Rome, the opportunity to study and live in the Eternal City provides our seminarians with an extraordinary experience: they continually witness the Holy Father in his role as brother priest and Bishop of Rome in service to the Church Universal. The seminarians’ studies are led by some of the finest Catholic scholars in the Church.
  • Enrollment is strong! We now have seminarians from 99 different dioceses at the College.
  • Our seminary houses students from North America and Australia who receive formation “in-house” while also studying at one of the three main Pontifical Universities in Rome…thus providing community as well as exposure to other seminarians from around the world who have come to study in Rome.
  • The Casa Santa Maria is a home away from home for priests pursuing graduate degrees in Rome. Living in community with other priests provides a strong sense of support and camaraderie during the challenging months of earning an advanced degree.
  • The Institute for Continuing Theological Education offers spiritual and theological renewal over a three-week to three-month period twice a year for priests ordained at least ten years. More than 2,400 US priests have participated and return to their parishes re-energized from their time in Rome.
  • Several hundred alumni have been called to serve the Church as Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinals. Former Rectors of the College include Edwin Cardinal O’Brien and Timothy Cardinal Dolan – both alumni as well.
  • Tuition is kept affordable and compatible with seminaries in the US – but the exchange rate does present many challenges. Many costs are simply greater in Italy, as one could imagine.
  • A significant portion of the annual operating budget relies on philanthropic support. There are no annual national collections for the North American College, nor is the College supported financially by the Holy See.

The Pontifical North American College is a 501 (c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax deductible. The College’s FEIN is 23-7201921, and we are listed in The Official Catholic Directory under “The Roman Curia, American Colleges Abroad.”

For questions or more information on how to support the College through a variety of financial means, please contact:

Mark Randall, CFRE
Executive Director
The Pontifical North American College
3211 4th Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017
202-541-5411 – phone
202-722-8804 – fax
mrandall@pnac.org