Mission Statement

From its establishment by the Archdiocese of New Orleans, as a free-standing seminary in 1923 Notre Dame Seminary has, as its primary mission, the preparation of men for ministerial priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church.  The seminary, through an integrated and balanced program of priestly formation, seeks to prepare pastors for the Church in the spirit of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. As a graduate school of theology, the seminary offers those preparing for priesthood the Master of Divinity degree program of study.  Master of Arts degree programs are also offered to non-seminarian applications preparing for leadership and catechetical roles in the Church, and for those seeking to deepen their understanding of Catholic theology.  Additionally, students are accepted into a pre-theology program which educates and forms them for readiness to enter the graduate theology program.

While primarily preparing men to serve as priests in the southern region of the United States, Notre Dame Seminary participates in the missionary activity of the Church by promoting a spirit of mission among its candidates for priesthood and by assisting certain missionary dioceses in other areas of the world.