Magdalen College

Warner, New Hampshire

www.magdalen.edu

Overview
In the early 1970s, several Catholics were in-
terested in supporting the call of the Second
Vatican Council for the education of lay Cath-
olic leaders. They approached then-Bishop
Ernest Primeau, the ordinary of the Diocese
of Manchester, to receive an endorsement to
establish a college within his diocese.
The college recounts that the bishop, who
had been active in Vatican II deliberations,
said to them, “You have my blessing and ap-
proval, now let us see how well you laymen
will conform to your apostolate.”
What they have created over the past 35
quick facts
years has been very much in conformity to
their goal and to the Church’s mission. The Founded: 1973
relatively tiny college, named for patroness Type of institution: Very small liberal arts
Saint Mary Magdalen, has been a beacon of college
Setting: Small town
fidelity to Catholic teaching and a forceful
Undergraduate enrollment: 65 (2008–09
witness to faithful Catholic higher education.
academic year)
It also has firmly established a classical lib-
Total undergraduate cost: $20,500 (tuition,
eral arts program that exposes students to an room and board for 2009–10)
interrelated Program of Studies focusing “on Undergraduate majors: One
the great questions of life.”
The first-year class in 1974 met in a mo- Key Points
tel in Bedford, New Hampshire, a town that
hosted the college for the next 17 years. The 1. Lay-controlled board with dedication
to Ex corde Ecclesiae.
campus was then relocated to its present 135-
acre site in the small central New Hampshire 2. Provides a liberal education through a
town of Warner. Bishop Primeau’s successor, distinctive Program of Studies.
Bishop Leo O’Neill, blessed the new campus 3. Grants every qualified graduate an
on the Feast of St. Mary Magdalen in 1991. Apostolic Catechetical Diploma.
The college is located about 18 miles from 4. Views its small size as a charism.
the state capital of Concord and is a 90-min- 5. Has a unique vocal music program
ute drive from Boston. But it draws a student which includes all students, every year.
body from 23 states and several other coun-

The Newman Guide 165

Magdalen College
tries. The 13 graduates of the Class of 2008
included students from the Bahamas, Califor-
nia, Texas and Illinois; only three were from
New England.
To accomplish its objectives of individual
attention and fostering a sense of community,
the college will continue to be small. In 2008-
2009 there were 65 students enrolled, and the
maximum number is pegged at about 85–90.
More than half were homeschooled, and 97
percent were Catholic.
“Our charism is our size,” President Jef-
frey Karls told us. “Our size is something that
at first might put people off, but we intention-
ally keep it small because we want our stu-
dents to have a very significant experience
of community, of living the faith in commu-
nity.”
Magdalen students take four years of
studies in Catholic doctrine, leading to the
Vatican’s Apostolic Catechetical Diploma. We
are not aware of any other institution that
does this at the undergraduate level. The dis-
cipline of catechetics is distinct from theol-
ogy, which assumes knowledge of Catholic
doctrine; Magdalene acknowledges the real-
ity that few students today are well-prepared
for college-level theology.
Such a program supports Magdalen’s
goal of cultivating leaders for the Church.
Nearly one-third of Magdalen’s students have
gone on to graduate study, and about 10 per-
cent of the college’s graduates have become
priests or other religious.
The college announced in May 2007
the acquisition of a property known as Dur-
ward’s Glen in Caledonia, Wisconsin, about a
half-hour from the state capital of Madison.
The property, purchased from the Order of
Camillus Servants of the Sick, is used for re-
treats, other programs and eventually a sec-
ond campus. Bishop Robert Morlino of the
Diocese of Madison has blessed Magdalen’s
expansion into his diocese.
166
From the
Financial Aid Office
“Magdalen College students are now eli-
gible to receive Pell Grants and Stafford
Loans through the Federal Student Aid
Program (Title IV). Because the college
has a limited amount of institutional aid
available for students, the Board of Trust-
ees is committed to keeping tuition and
room and board costs affordable. At Mag-
dalen College, students save more than
$9,100 as compared to the average private
college in New Hampshire.”
Magdalen received full accreditation
from the American Academy for Liberal Edu-
cation in 2004. It is currently pursuing region-
al accreditation through the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges, and Car-
dinal Sean O’Malley of Boston participated in
a “launch” for that effort in January 2009.
Attending college in New England can
be pricey, but not at Magdalen College. The
tuition rate is less than half the typical pri-
vate-college tuition in New Hampshire, with
a total cost of just $20,500 for tuition, room
and board in 2009-10. The bargain prices more
than make up for somewhat smaller financial
aid packages, although the college recently
took the steps necessary to make students
eligible for federal Pell Grants and Stafford
Loans.
Governance
Magdalen College is governed by a board of
trustees comprised of nine lay Catholics and
two additional emeriti members. All make a
Profession of Faith.
The president also must be a Catholic.
Karls, the third and current president, is an
alumnus of the college and served as ex-
The Newman Guide
 Magdalen College

ecutive vice president before assuming the Magdalen lives up to those purposes in
presidency in 1998. He serves on the Board all aspects of its public life. We are aware of
of Directors for the Institute on Religious Life no speakers or events that run contrary to
and the Sedes Sapientiae Foundation, which Church teachings. Many campus appearances
supports the Benedictine Monastery of San have come about through the H. Lyman Steb-
Benedetto in Norcia, Italy. No stranger to the bins Colloquium. One of the recent speakers
needs of Catholic families, he and his wife Ju- in the series was Dr. Robert Royal, president
lie have nine children. of the Faith and Reason Institute, who spoke
on Dante, his academic specialty.
In April 2007, Chris Graveline, an alum-
Public Identity nus and U.S. army prosecutor, spoke about
the Abu Ghraib prison controversy and other
In its founding document known as the Ar-
legal issues. Bishop Michael Cote of the Dio-
ticles of Agreement, Magdalen pledges “to
cese of Norwich spoke on the papal document
form the students in the life long pursuit of
Spe Salvi in April 2008.
universal truths;
As part of the
the growth of their
35th anniversary
baptismal Faith; the
celebration, Dr.
adherence to pre-
Brennan Pursell,
cepts and discipline
a DeSales Univer-
of the Roman Catho-
sity history profes-
lic Church; and the
sor and author of
living of the special
Benedict of Bavaria,
vocation of a Catho-
spoke during par-
lic layman and lay-
ents’ weekend in
woman in such a
October 2008. The
way as to benefit
year-long com-
society, especially
memoration also
through the family.”
included the visit
Appropriately,
of former Vatican
then, the college’s seal includes the phrase
official Cardinal Francis Arinze in April 2009.
Gaudium et Spes (“Joy and Hope”), the name of
Festivities concluded in July 2009 with visits
the 1965 Vatican II constitution on the Church
by musician Tony Melendez and Dr. Robert
in the modern world.
Moynihan, editor of Inside the Vatican.
President Karls continually weighs in on
The college launches its school year with
these issues. In the spring 2006 issue of The
an Academic Mass of the Holy Spirit, usually
Magdalen Newsletter, for example, he wrote:
celebrated by Bishop John McCormack of the
“In order to maintain and safeguard our
Diocese of Manchester. The board of trustees,
Catholic identity, we must sustain our com-
faculty and staff take the Oath of Fidelity at
mitment to be faithful to the teachings of the
this Mass.
Catholic Church; we must provide courses
The celebrant of the end-of-year Bacca-
for students on Catholic moral and religious
laureate Mass in 2008 was Bishop Morlino of
principles and their application to critical
Madison, and in 2009 it was Bishop Louis Ge-
areas such as human life and other issues of
lineau, Bishop Emeritus of Providence, Rhode
social justice; and we must care pastorally for
Island.
the students, faculty and staff.”

The Newman Guide 167

Magdalen College

All of these speakers and, of course, stu-
dents and others are reminded of the college’s
Catholic identity by passing by the Mary
Magdalene Shrine at the entrance of the cha-
pel and a nearby Immaculate Heart of Mary
Shrine.
Spiritual Life
Our Lady, Queen of Apostles Chapel is at the
center of the campus and campus life. Mass
is offered daily by the college chaplain, an
African priest of the Religious Missionary
Congregation of the Apostles of Jesus. Most
students attend. On Sundays, visitors swell
the chapel to capacity.
Masses are reverent and traditional. All
students are part of the choir, which sings
motets, polyphony and traditional hymns
for the liturgy. President Karls said in a 2009
InsideCatholic.com interview, “Singing is at
the heart of our life at Magdalen College.”

Message from the President

Dear Parents and Prospective Students:

If you desire a college where faith plays a vital role, a campus life that
fosters lasting friendships and an academic program that challenges your
mind—visit Magdalen College.

If you are looking for a Catholic liberal arts education that will strengthen your faith in
Christ and enable you to freely and vigorously pursue the truth with the greatest authors in his-
tory, then Magdalen College is the right choice for you.

Visit our beautiful New Hampshire campus; observe students who are taking on the real
challenges to live life well, and witness our committed faculty and staff generously offer indi-
vidual attention to each student.

When I had the privilege of attending Pope Benedict XVI’s meeting with Catholic college
presidents, he made the following statement on Catholic education:

“Education is integral to the mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News. First and
foremost every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in
Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth.”

Students at Magdalen College experience this encounter on a daily basis. As you begin your
College search, I urge you to consider visiting Magdalen College.

Yours in Christ,

Jeffrey Karls

168 The Newman Guide


He added, “Singing gets the students out of
themselves, helps them to be creators of har-
mony and beauty, and it nurtures their sense
of wonder. That is part of the reason that joy
permeates our campus.”
Holy days are observed with adminis-
tration offices closed and classes suspended
so, as another college official said, “the entire
community can celebrate together.” In addi-
tion, generally there is a banquet, skit or some
other special activity to set the day apart.
There also are special
observances to denote litur-
gical seasons. For instance,
there are daily reflections
and events associated with
the Easter Triduum. On May
1, there is a May Crowning
for the Blessed Mother.
Throughout the aca-
demic year, the Rosary is
prayed daily in the chapel
or residence halls. Adora-
tion is available daily in
the afternoons. Benediction
takes place on Sundays at
4:30 p.m. There also are an-
nual retreats offered sepa-
rately for men and women,
directed by priests or sis-
ters.
Academics
There are no electives and no majors at Mag-
dalen; all graduates receive a Bachelor of Arts
degree.
Magdalen’s academic program is based
on the Program of Studies that was adopt-
ed in 1998. It is an integrated curriculum in
which students participate in required tutori-
als, most of which are based on the Socratic
method, and that build on each other. All
students need to take the four-year program
in sequence so that transfer students, regard-
The Newman Guide
Magdalen College
less of their previous academic standing, start
with the freshman regime.
An example of this integrated approach
is seen with the study of catechetics. In the
freshman year, the tutorials cover the basics
of faith. Subsequent tutorials then build on
that foundation by focusing on such things
as historical and biblical timelines, the Of-
ficial Catechism of the Catholic Church and
encyclicals. Seniors take a marriage prepara-
tion class.
This intensive, four-
year religious training al-
lows students to receive
the Apostolic Catechetical
Diploma. It ties back to the
college’s apostolate as well
as to its goal of providing
a well-rounded education.
“Our mission,” Presi-
dent Karls told us, “is to
educate the lay people, to
provide the foundations
of faith so that they will
sanctify whatever they do
in the future. They will
have had the catechesis
in faith and learned about
living the faith.”
He added, “Many of
our graduates do go out
and teach CCD, either as
volunteers at a parish or
in full-time, paid teaching
positions. With the Apostolic Catechetical Di-
ploma they receive from Magdalen, they are
recognized by those who appreciate the certi-
fication as well-prepared catechists.”
All tutors request the mandatum in front
of the bishop and the college. The admissions
director said of the faculty: “They all have
various degrees and specialties, but all in
their own way represent the faith in the class-
room as well as in their personal life.”
Another staff member called President
169
Magdalen College
Karls “an exemplary father and a friend.” Yet
another said of tutor Mark Gillis: “He is an
example for all to follow. He practices what
he teaches. His family life, academic life and
spiritual life all sum up an exemplary Catho-
lic example.” Gillis, who is the catechesis co-
ordinator, also has established the Don Bosco
Boys Camp in nearby Concord and teaches in
the Diocese of Manchester’s “Called to Dis-
cipleship” pro-
gram.
All 12 tu-
tors received
high marks in
our interviews.
They teach phi-
losophy, geom-
etry, logic, Latin,
English, music
and singing, phi-
losophy, astron-
omy, Newtonian
physics, biology,
modern science,
drawing, com-
parative writing,
comparative cul-
tures, classical literature and other subjects.
Seniors need to complete a thesis tutorial now
known as a Quaestio.
Music, particularly singing, occupies an
important place in the curriculum. Every stu-
dent is in the choir and takes music all four
years. The reason, according to one staff mem-
ber: “We learn so much about the Mass, the
feasts and seasons of the liturgical year and
the teachings of the Church through learning
the musical traditions of the Church.”
A sign of Magdalen’s commitment to mu-
sic as part of a serious liberal arts program,
it announced a new academic dean in June
2009: Dr. George Harne, who holds a Doctor-
ate and Master of Fine Arts in Musicology
from Princeton University, as well as a Mas-
ters in Liberal Studies from St. John’s College
170
in Annapolis.
Dr. Harne has launched a new Honors
Program including advanced courses in Ge-
ometry and Reasoning, Latin and English
composition. Honors students complement
the Program of Studies with topics of study
such as modern cinema, Dante’s Divine
Comedy, and the twentieth century German
Thomist, Josef Pieper. They also research and
write an Honors
Thesis known as a
Quaestio.
A rather
unique aspect of
the Program of
Studies is that stu-
dents are evalu-
ated at the end of
their sophomore
year to determine
whether they are
making satisfac-
tory academic
and community
progress. They
are required to
reapply to the col-
lege through a process known as the Junior
Re-admittance Procedure. Any student who
finishes the first two years is eligible for an
Associate of Arts degree. Approximately 88
percent of sophomores return for their junior
year.
For the overwhelming majority who do
move on to the junior year, there is the oppor-
tunity to study in Italy for four weeks in the
summer. After visiting Rome, students move
on to the Umbrian town of Norcia, where they
live in a one-time convent, interact with Bene-
dictine monks at a nearby monastery and
study The Rule of Saint Benedict and several
writers from Aristotle to 20th-century writer
Luigi Barzini.
Students conduct themselves with pride:
Men wear a coat and necktie and women wear
The Newman Guide

a dress or skirt and blouse to class.
Prospective students can sample Mag-
dalen College life through visitor weekends;
there were four such opportunities in the
2008-2009 academic year, two in each semes-
ter. There also are two two-week sessions of
a Summer Youth Program for 15- to 18-year-
olds.
Student Activities
As noted previously, a key part of student ac-
tivities is the mandatory Magdalen College
Choir, which has twice-weekly practices in
anticipation of Sunday Mass. Select students
participate in the Performance Choir, Polyph-
ony Choir or the chant and psalm schola. The
choir performs at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in
Manchester, other church-
es, nursing homes, an or-
phanage and the local town
hall. They have recorded
five CDs since 1999.
The St. Genesius Play-
ers, a drama group, per-
formed Tennessee Wil-
liams’ The Glass Menagerie
in March 2009. Among other
activities are an intramural
sports program, an Outing
Club and a social club that
organizes various indoor,
outdoor and cultural activi-
ties.
The Leisure Activities
Program generates infor-
mal intellectual and cultur-
al opportunities. The H. Ly-
man Stebbins Colloquium
sponsors visits to concerts and historical sites
in Boston and other New England cities.
Students also participate in pro-life activ-
ities, attending marches both in Concord, the
state capital, and the annual March for Life
in Washington, D.C. Indeed, 2009 marked the
The Newman Guide
Magdalen College
third consecutive year that the entire student
body journeyed to the nation’s capital for the
March for Life.
Residential Life
There are two residence halls: St. Joseph’s
for men, which has eight students to a large
room, and St. Mary’s for women, with four to
a room. Televisions and radios are not allowed
in order to encourage community life. Each
hall has a small chapel with a tabernacle.
There is no inter-residence visitation.
One alumna and current staff member told
us, “Chastity is definitely encouraged, espe-
cially by the students. They are willing to be-
come involved in a situation if they feel it nec-
essary. We stress respect for the whole person
in all areas, and this fosters
healthy relationships beyond
college.”
All students are also re-
quired to participate in the
Campus Service Program
to provide various chores
around campus. This pro-
gram is considered a natural
and integral part of commu-
nity life.
The Community
Warner is a quaint New Eng-
land town of 2,800 in the New
Hampshire Lakes Region that
traces its history back to 1735.
One popular local event is
the Fall Foliage Festival, held
every October since 1947. The campus is on
Mount Kearsarge, almost 3,000 feet high,
which provides abundant hiking opportuni-
ties. The winters are long and snowy, mak-
ing skiing a popular local pastime. The area
is quiet and relatively crime free.
171
Magdalen College
The nearby city of Concord, with state
government offices and a population of 42,000,
provides additional services to the Magdalen
community. The major metropolitan area is
Boston, about 90 miles away, which offers
many cultural, sports and entertainment op-
portunities.
Some out-of-town college students may
arrive at Manchester-Boston Regional Air-
port, which is about 45 minutes from Warner.
Boston’s Logan International Airport is an-
other option about 90 minutes from campus.
For those traveling by highway, Interstates 89
and 93 intersect at Concord.
The Bottom Line
Magdalen College is part of the wave of small,
orthodox colleges that were spawned after
Vatican II. Its founders had a vision that they
could create an institution that would train
new generations of leaders for the Church.
172
They have succeeded well.
In the process, they developed a broad-
ranging classical curriculum that provides
students with the intellectual reservoir to be
well-read, productive citizens and parents.
But they never forgot the human dimension:
An important component of their program
has been to integrate students together to fos-
ter a sense of community.
Adding to the appeal of living in rural
New England for four years, Magdalen Col-
lege offers many attractions for the Catholic
high school senior who is looking for both
a solid education and an enhanced spiritual
formation.
The Newman Guide