Catholic seminary in New Orleans forming priests and lay leaders since 1923.
Notre Dame Seminary offers graduate theological degrees including the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership, and Master of Arts in Philosophy for Theological Studies. The seminary also provides a Bachelor of Philosophy program. All programs support the seminary's integrated formation model encompassing human, spiritual, intellectual, pastoral, and liturgical dimensions of priestly preparation. The Rev. Robert J. Stahl Memorial Library houses over 95,000 volumes and provides access to approximately 150 peer-reviewed academic journal titles and digital research resources.
The seminary's primary mission is forming men for the ministerial priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church, configured to Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd. Beyond seminarian formation, Notre Dame offers educational and formational opportunities to lay faithful through its Institute for Lay Ecclesial Ministry, preparing them for ecclesial leadership. The seminary serves the Archdiocese of New Orleans and six additional dioceses in the Ecclesiastical Province, plus additional dioceses in the Southern United States and Africa, and four Catholic religious institutes.
Established in 1923 following a $1.2 million fundraising campaign led by Archbishop John W. Shaw, the seminary opened with 27 students on September 18, 1923. The urban campus spans approximately 9 acres and features Shaw Hall (the original seminary building), St. Joseph Hall (added 1954), a chapel, library, and residential facilities. Pope John Paul II visited in 1987. The seminary integrated in 1949, fifteen years before the Civil Rights Act. Recent renovations funded by Thomas and Gayle Benson have revitalized key facilities.
Seminarian applicants must submit comprehensive materials including application forms, autobiography, medical and psychological assessments, pastoral formation records, and recommendation letters. The application deadline for Fall 2026 is June 15, 2026. The seminary maintains an honor system and provides unrestricted library access to seminarians until 11 p.m. Alumni networks include both priest and lay alumni communities. In November 2025, the Archdiocese of New Orleans, including Notre Dame Seminary, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as part of a settlement plan for sex abuse lawsuits.