EMMITSBURG – Standing before Archbishop William E. Lori with dozens of seminarians looking on, Father Michael M. Romano’s voice rang clear and resolute.
Proclaiming his profession of faith and taking an oath of fidelity during his Oct. 28 installation Mass as rector of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, the New Jersey priest’s promises echoed through the historic Immaculate Conception Chapel.
A public declaration before God and the community he now leads, the solemn commitment symbolized Father Romano’s full embrace of Catholic teaching and his pledge of fidelity and faith.
Joining him in professing faith and taking the oath of fidelity were new theology faculty members Father Joseph O’Connor, Monsignor Charles Mangan, Dominican Father Gabriel O’Donnell and Dr. Marie Nuar.
Archbishop Lori, an alumnus and current chancellor of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, focused his homily on the feast of Ss. Simon and Jude, highlighting the apostles’ gift of faith.
The archbishop, who chose to use the Rite of Installation of a Pastor since a seminary rector serves as pastor of that community, urged each person to be a “zealot of the Gospel” like Simon and a “herald of hope” like Jude.
“Your new rector, Father Romano, is an experienced formator and as a priest who serves the church with dedication, effectiveness and joy,” he said. “In his life, he models the formation, which he and the seminary faculty provide.”
Mount St. Mary’s – the largest Catholic seminary in the United States – draws approximately 25 dioceses nationwide and beyond, including the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Ordained in 2007, Father Romano served in two parishes in Camden, N.J., and as chaplain at Paul VI High School in Haddon Township, N.J., from 2009 to 2013. He became director of vocations and seminarians for the Camden diocese in 2011, a post he held until 2019. After five years as priest-secretary to the bishop of Camden, he moved to Rome in 2019 to serve as coordinator of admissions at the Pontifical North American College.
The installation Mass, which featured solemn chant led by the seminary’s Schola Cantorum, was attended by the seminary community and was concelebrated by Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan of Camden and Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Va., along with the seminary’s priest-faculty and the Mount St. Mary’s University chaplain.
Father Romano arrived at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in July 2025, succeeding Monsignor Andrew R. Baker.
“It’s great to be in such a historic location, it’s the second oldest seminary in the country, the second oldest Catholic university in the country,” Father Romano told the Catholic Review. “It’s great to be on holy ground. It has become clear to me that over the summer and these months that this is a privileged place to live. It really is Our Lady’s Mountain and St. Joseph’s Valley.”
Seminarian Martin Jaquet of Our Lady of Victory in Arbutus described Father Romano as “very humble, very joyful and brings a lot of energy to the house.”
“Father Romano has been a wonderful presence to the house, greeting us at lunch, at dinner, just being a very present rector,” Jaquet said. “It’s wonderful to see continuity between both rectors.”
Father Diego Ruiz, Dean of Men at the seminary, noted that every leader brings distinct gifts and experience.
“Father Romano has the heart of a servant leader and it is a great joy and honor to work with him,” he said.
Monsignor McLean Cummings, Seminary Director of Spiritual Formation, added that “every new beginning brings something new and hopeful and everything’s been very auspicious so far.”
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