 | |
| Latin: Pontificium Collegium Civitatum Foederatarum Americae Septemtrionalis (lit.: 'Pontifical College of the United States of America')[citation needed] | |
| Motto | Firmum est cor meum |
|---|---|
Motto in English | "Steadfast is my heart" |
| Type | Roman Catholic seminary; continuing formation institute, clerical residence |
| Established | 8 December 1859 (165 years ago) |
| Rector | Thomas W. Powers |
| Location | Rome, Italy (on property subject in part to Holy See extraterritorial jurisdiction) 41°53′51″N 12°27′33″E / 41.89750°N 12.45917°E |
| Campus | Janiculum Hill (Seminary and Casa O'Toole Continuing Formation Institute) Central Rome (Casa Santa Maria Graduate Studies Residence and Office for Pilgrims) |
| Colors | Unofficially, red and blue |
| Nickname | North American Martyrs |
Sporting affiliations | Clericus Cup |
| Website | www |
The Pontifical North American College (NAC) is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy, that prepares seminarians to become priests in the United States and elsewhere. The NAC also provides a residence for priests who are pursuing graduate work at other pontifical universities in Rome. The NAC also has a continuing education program for veteran priests.
The NAC is the responsibility of the Holy See's Congregation for the Clergy,[1] which delegates its operation to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), acting through the NAC's episcopal board of governors.
Founded by Pope Pius IX in 1859 to increase the number of American priests, most of the NAC seminarians come from the United States.