On the Hill

A new year of ministry, fellowship, learning, and growing in faith began in August with encouraging enrollment across Saint Meinrad’s formation programs.

President Rector Fr. Denis Robinson expressed, “Saint Meinrad is continuing to look to the future, continuing to grow, and continuing to provide opportunities not only for our students, but for the public in general to see what we can make of the Church in the next decades as we move forward.”

Seminary enrollment has increased, reaching 117 seminarians for the 2026-27 school year. The propaedeutic program welcomed its largest class yet, with 20 students beginning this important first stage of seminary formation. Fr. Denis said, “It’s a joy to teach them and a joy to see their excitement to be a part of formation for the priesthood here at Saint Meinrad.”

This year, seminarians from the Dioceses of Belleville and Saginaw are also joining the Saint Meinrad community.

The seminary continues to reflect the global nature of the Catholic Church with 32 international students representing 12 countries. International students make up 27% of the seminary student body, bringing diverse experiences, cultures, and perspectives to the community.

The Graduate Theology Program remains strong, with 73 students enrolled this year. The program has increased its online presence, welcoming several students including Benedictine oblates and students with ties to Subiaco Abbey, Marmion Abbey, and Assumption Abbey. Further strengthening its ministry-based student body, the program recently offered three full-tuition scholarships to FOCUS missionaries.

The Deacon Formation Program continues its steady growth as well, reaching 17 cohorts from 15 dioceses and one eparchy, totaling 232 students. This year, the program implemented a new Human Formation Program and continues to expand formation opportunities in Spanish. The Diocese of Nashville is Saint Meinrad’s first diocese to form an entire cohort in Spanish.

The program also continues to provide opportunities for ongoing formation through two upcoming workshops: “Sharing Our Story: A Homiletics Refresher,” October 16-17, 2026, and “Singing the Exultet” presented by the Institute for Sacred Music, March 5-6, 2027.

Three new faculty members joined the Seminary and School of Theology this fall: Dr. Rosemary Heredos, Dr. Christopher Hoskins, and Dr. Sam Mullins.

Dr. Rosemary Heredos joins the Institute for Sacred Music as associate director. She is a specialist in early music with a particular emphasis in Gregorian chant and liturgy. Dr. Heredos holds a doctorate in historical performance practice from Case Western Reserve University and an M.A. in ritual chant and song from the University of Limerick. She brings experience as a parish music director, cantor, and liturgical formation catechist in the Diocese of Cleveland, and as a performer in the medieval ensembles Cantoral based in Ireland and Trobár based in Cleveland. Saint Meinrad has partnered with Dr. Heredos many times in the past when she has presented chant workshops, taught voice lessons, and performed in concerts for the Institute for Sacred Music.

Rev. Dr. Christopher Hoskins has been appointed assistant professor of pastoral care and counseling after the retirement of Dr. Ryan LaMothe. Dr. Hoskins holds a Ph.D. in religion, psychology, and culture from Vanderbilt University with a focus in spiritual and pastoral care, where he was also a Fellow in Theology and Practice. Having served seminaries in teaching and administrative roles in the United States, Ecuador, and Mexico, he spent last year teaching at the School of Theology of Sewanee, the University of the South as part of his fellowship. He has also served in parish and community ministry assignments domestically and internationally.

Dr. Sam Mullins is the new assistant professor of Scripture following the retirement of Dr. Clayton Jefford. Dr. Mullins was born in Dayton, Ohio, where he received his undergraduate education at the University of Dayton. Later he earned an M.T.S. from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. from Emory University. Before coming to Saint Meinrad, Dr. Mullins was a visiting professor at Providence College.

With strong enrollment, new faculty, and expanding opportunities for formation, Saint Meinrad begins the 2026-27 academic year with a renewed sense of purpose—continuing its mission of preparing men and women to serve the Church and strengthening the communities in which they minister.