Introduction
The new CMSWR Angelicum Program, offered by CMSWR in collaboration with the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), will include two semesters of full-time study at the Angelicum and residence at the Domus Sanctae Mariae Guadalupe, CMSWR’s House of Studies in Rome. The program will run from September 28, 2025 through approximately June 20, 2026. The program is intended primarily for future formators, but other sisters will be considered for the program as well.
Program of Study
The program will include courses and seminars at the Angelicum on topics such as Christian anthropology, human psychology, spirituality and growth in the spiritual life, the mystery of the living God, grace and the sacraments, moral theology, the virtues, the vows, conscience, spiritual direction for religious, and Canon Law for religious. The course schedule for the 2025-2026 academic year will not be finalized by the Angelicum until mid-March 2025. CMSWR will post the final list of courses and course descriptions on the website as soon as possible.
Participants will take five or six courses each semester. Most courses will be at the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) level. The S.T.B. is the beginning (First Cycle) graduate level ecclesiastical degree in theology. Previous studies in philosophy and theology are helpful but not required. All classes will be in English.
All participants in the program are expected to take the same courses. Sisters who have already taken courses similar to those in the program will still benefit from a review and/or more in-depth study of these important topics. The courses will be geared toward those who will be serving as formators in their religious institutes.
Some classes may include other students at the Angelicum while others will be offered exclusively for the sisters in the CMSWR program. The Angelicum will also provide opportunities for regular meetings, days of retreat, and short pilgrimages for program participants.
Successful completion of the coursework will result in a Diploma in Theological Studies from the Angelicum.
For a short video of the benefits of study at the Angelicum, please click here.
Residence at the Domus
Sisters in the Angelicum Program will reside at the Domus Sanctae Mariae Guadalupe, CMSWR’s House of Studies in Rome. The Domus is centrally located, within walking distance of the Angelicum (15-20 minutes) and St. Peter’s Basilica (20-25 minutes) and is easily accessible by public transportation.
The Domus includes a chapel, library, refectory, kitchen, and laundry facilities. All sleeping rooms will be single occupancy with private bathrooms. The sleeping rooms are equipped with a desk, chair(s), bookshelves, and Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is also available in the library.
The Domus follows a regular horarium of morning and evening prayer, Mass, and meals in common. The schedule will be adjusted as necessary to accommodate the needs of sister students.
Program participants are expected to participate in community prayers and meals and to assist with light household duties.
Schedule
The program will run from September 28, 2025 through approximately June 20, 2026. Participants are asked to arrive at the Domus between Thursday, September 25 and Sunday, September 28, 2025. This will allow the sisters time to settle in at the Domus, familiarize themselves with their surroundings, and overcome jet lag. Orientation at the Domus will take place during the week of September 28.
Orientation for new students at the Angelicum will take place on Friday, October 3. First semester classes and seminars will begin on Monday, October 6.
Please click on this link for the 2025-2026 academic calendar at the Angelicum.
Please note that the Christmas holidays at the Angelicum will run from December 20-January 6. First semester classes will resume on Wednesday, January 7 and will not end until January 23, with exams following from January 26-February 14. Classes and seminars for the second semester will begin on Monday, February 16 and continue through Friday, May 29, with Easter holidays from March 28-April 12. Exams are scheduled from June 1-27, with most completed by mid-June.
Participants are welcome to stay at the Domus during the Christmas and/or Easter holiday breaks but are not required to do so.
The program will conclude on or about June 20, depending on the exam schedule.
Programs Fee
The fee for the program is $7,500. Payment of the fee will cover tuition and fees at the Angelicum for the 2025-2026 academic year and room and board at the Domus from September 25, 2025 to June 20, 2026.
Program participants are responsible for travel to and from Rome, visa and Permesso di Soggiorno fees, transportation costs while in Rome, books and other materials and supplies for courses, medical insurance and other medical expenses, meals taken outside the Domus, and other incidental expenses.
A limited number of scholarships for up to $2,500 will be available for communities that need financial assistance. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, please contact Sister Mary Bendyna, O.P. at executivedirector@cmswr.org.
The program is being made possible in part by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
Application
To apply for the program, complete the online CMSWR Angelicum Program application form on the CMSWR website here. A password is not required. The form requests information required by the Angelicum and/or CMSWR.
In addition to completing the application form, applicants are required to provide the following:
Please send all materials to the CMSWR office (not to the Angelicum or the Domus). They may be sent to Sister Mary Bendyna, O.P. by email at executivedirector@cmswr.org. or postal mail to CMSWR’s street address (below). CMSWR will forward necessary documents to the Angelicum.
Please use the following addresses for purposes of the letters noted above. Again, please send all documents to the CMSWR office, not to the Angelicum or the Domus.
Sister Mary Bendyna, O.P.
Executive Director
Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious
415 Michigan Ave., NE, Suite 420
Washington, DC 20017
Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.
Rector
Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas
Largo Angelicum 1
00184 Roma, ITALIA
The deadline for submitting the online application, the letters from the major superior and the applicant to CMSWR, and a $500.00 deposit is April 1, 2025. Final payment and all other requested documentation are due by June 1, 2025.
Applicants will be notified of their acceptance into the program by April 15, 2025. Because space at the Domus is limited, CMSWR may not be able to accept all applicants for the program this year.
Visa Requirements
Unless they are Italian citizens, participants in the program must obtain a student visa for long stay (National Visa Type D, for stays over 90 days) from the Italian government. Religious (and seminarians) going to Italy for study may no longer apply for a “Religious Visa” but must apply for a regular student visa.
Program participants who are U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents of the U.S. must apply for a visa at the Italian Embassy or one of the Italian Consulates in the United States based on their state of residence. A list of the Italian Consulates and the states over which they have jurisdiction may be found here. Please visit the website of the appropriate consulate for the visa application, details about the application process, and the documentation that is required.
Starting in January 2025, all applicants for the National Visa (D) must submit their applications in person to provide fingerprints. This is not yet noted on all, consulate websites.
Visa appointments may not be scheduled earlier than 6 months prior to the scheduled day of departure for Italy and no later than 15 calendar days before the departure date. Visa applications generally take two to three weeks to process but may take longer.
Please note that program participants cannot apply for a visa until they have a letter of acceptance from the Angelicum and a letter of proof of lodging at the Domus from CMSWR. These documents will not be available until mid-April.
Once in Rome, program participants who have been granted an Italian National Visa must report to the Questura (Central Police Station) within 8 working days from the date of entry to apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno (Permit of Stay or Residence Permit). Copies of the documentation for the visa may be requested when applying for the Permesso di Soggiorno in Italy.
For a pdf version of this information, please click here.
