Interview with Msgr. Callahan of St. Paul Seminary

CityWinds on Relevant Radio interviewed Monsignor Aloysius Callaghan, J.C.D., Rector-Vice President of St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul Minnesota, recently. The audio stream of the interview is available here

Msgr. Callahan's Curriculum Vitae:

Reverend Monsignor Aloysius R. Callaghan, S.T.L., J.C.D.
Rector and Vice President
The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity
of the University of St. Thomas
2260 Summit Avenue
St Paul, Minnesota

Academic History

J.C.D., Lateran University, Rome, 1977
S.T.L., Lateran University, Rome, 1972
B.A., Lateran University, Rome, 1968

Monsignor Callaghan was born in Heckscherville, Schuylkill County, the son of the late Aloysius R. Sr. and Genevieve (O'Brien) Callaghan on September 15, 1946. In 1962 he began preparation for the priesthood at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia. After completing four years of studies he was sent by Bishop Joseph McShea to the Pontifical Roman Seminary and the Lateran University in Rome to complete his training. Monsignor Callaghan was ordained a priest on December 17, 1971, in Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome, by Cardinal James A. Hickey.

In the years 1972-74, he served as an Assistant Pastor of Saint Francis of Assisi Church, Allentown; as Secretary to the Diocesan Tribunal; and as an Associate Professor at Allentown Central Catholic High School.

In August 1974, he returned to Rome for graduate studies. He earned a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Lateran University in 1977. After returning to the diocese, he was named Secretary to Bishop McShea in August 1977; Adjutant Judicial Vicar of the Tribunal; and member of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission. In June of 1979 he was also appointed Diocesan Director of Vocations. He was named a Chaplain of His Holiness with the title of Monsignor on December 15, 1981.

In March of 1983 he was appointed Secretary to Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, a position held until December 12, 1984, when he was named Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Allentown and Pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Whitehall, PA. On January 18, 1985, he was one of seven priests named as members of the newly formed Committee for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life in the Diocese of Allentown.

On March 27, 1986, Bishop Welsh announced that he was releasing Monsignor Callaghan for service as an official in the Vatican Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes at the Vatican. In October of 1987 he was named a Prelate of Honor by His Holiness Pope John Paul II. He served as an official from 1986 until 1991. On April 8, 1991, Monsignor Callaghan was appointed as an official with the Congregation for Bishops.

In July of 1995, Monsignor Callaghan was appointed Chancellor and Moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, with all the faculties of a Vicar General. He also served as Secretary of the Presbyteral Council of the Archdiocese for the Military Services and Adjutant Judicial Vicar.

In December of 1996 Monsignor Callaghan was appointed Vicar General of the Archdiocese for the Military Services. At the same time he served as an adjunct Spiritual Director for Mount Saint Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD.

On July 1, 2005, the Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn, Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, appointed Monsignor Callaghan as Rector and Vice President of The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. He was formally installed as Rector at a Mass in St. Mary’s Chapel at the Seminary on October 22, 2005.