Archbishop William E. Lori, S’77, chair of the Mount St. Mary’s Seminary Board, has appointed the Rev. Michael M. Romano, S.T.L., as the next rector of the Seminary, effective in July 2025. Father Romano, a priest from the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, currently is the coordinator of admissions and formation advisor at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
Father Romano replaces Monsignor Andrew R. Baker, S.T.D., who is returning to the Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania, for a pastoral assignment after 10 years at the Seminary.
“The work of priestly formation, both as a vocation director for eight years and as a formator the past six years, has been a singular blessing. I love being a priest, this important pastoral ministry in the life of the Church, and all of those I have had the privilege to accompany over the years,” Fr. Romano said. “I pray that I may be a true spiritual father to the seminarians, with the formation team, as we grow in friendship with the Lord together.”
Fr. Romano expressed his gratitude to Archbishop Lori for the appointment, the search committee for their efforts, Msgr. Baker for his leadership to the seminary community, and Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan for his willingness to release him for continued service outside of the Diocese of Camden.
“Fr. Romano is an excellent choice for rector,” Msgr. Baker said. “He has experience in priestly formation as a vocation director and a seminary formator. He has spent six years in his present role as coordinator of admissions at the Pontifical North American College (Rome) visiting bishops, vocation directors and seminarians all around the United States. Fr. Romano has a keen interest in making sure that the seminary forms happy, holy, wise and zealous priests for the future of the Church."
Mount St. Mary’s University President Gerard J. Joyce, Ph.D., looks forward to collaborating with Fr. Romano in his new role as rector and vice president of the oldest and largest seminary in the United States. “I am thrilled that Fr. Romano has accepted the appointment to serve as rector and appreciate his considerable experience as a vocation director and seminary formator,” said President Joyce. “We offer our prayerful best wishes as Fr. Romano comes to the Mount.”
In 2003 Fr. Romano earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Charles Seminary, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, and an STB from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy, in 2006. He completed his S.T.L. degree in 2008 at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute at the Lateran University in Rome.
Fr. Romano was ordained for the Diocese of Camden in 2007. In addition to his current position in Rome, he has been a parochial vicar of two parishes (2007 and 2008 – 2011), chaplain at Paul VI High School in Haddon Township, NJ (2009 – 2013), director of vocations and director of seminarians for the Diocese of Camden (2011 – 2019), and priest secretary to the Bishop (2014 – 2019). He has held various positions on diocesan commissions and boards.
Seminary Board Member Barry Knestout, S’89, bishop of the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, led the search committee. Other members of the committee included five other members of the Seminary Board, with three bishops and a university alumnus, Mount St. Mary’s University President Gerard J. Joyce, Ph.D., a seminarian, a lay Seminary faculty member, a priest Seminary faculty member, a Rector’s Council representative and a recording secretary.
Founded in 1808 by the French immigrant missionary priest Father John Dubois, Mount St. Mary’s Seminary has a more than 215-year history and tradition of excellence in the formation of candidates for the Catholic priesthood. Graduate study at the Seminary is open to a limited number of non-seminarians.
Mount St. Mary’s Seminary is the largest in the nation and its community of seminarians enrolls from U.S. dioceses and from parishes from around the globe.