Earning a Master of Divinity from the Kenrick School of Theology

Dedicated to education and the Catholic Church, Father Thomas Maikowski serves as a parish administrator and the director of a parish preschool. Father Thomas Maikowski has demonstrated his commitment to education by earning eight degrees from Catholic colleges and universities, including a master of divinity from Kenrick Seminary in Missouri.

To earn a master of divinity from Kenrick Seminary, now known as Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, seminarians must complete the curriculum and assessments required by the Kenrick School of Theology, which is the main seminary for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. Additionally, students focus on one of the four dimensions of formation: spiritual, human, pastoral, and intellectual.

The four-year theological studies program is designed to align seminarians with the heart of the Good Shepherd and ready them for the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Accredited through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, the theologate is based on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Program of Priestly Formation and the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II, “Pastores dabo vobis.”                            

U.S. Air Force Academy - Creating an Open and Secure Base

An experienced educator and spiritual leader, Father Thomas Maikowski currently serves as a parish administrator and the director of a parish preschool. Father Thomas Maikowski also leverages more than two decades of experience with the U.S. Air Force to serve as a U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) admissions liaison officer, which involves recruiting high school students to become cadets.

In a recent article, the USAFA in Colorado Springs explained that it is preparing for a new year of training, classes, football games, and family visits by implementing strategies to maintain a campus that is both secure and open. The article notes that there are unique security challenges at the academy because of its dual purpose as a military installation and a college campus.

According to the academy’s antiterrorism officer, extra security measures are currently being integrated and executed to ensure the safety of the base population and the cadets. The USAFA combines these strategies with a number of scheduled emergency-event exercises, in which cadets and academy staff practice emergency response methods.                            

Catholic Education for Youth by Father Thomas Maikowski

A recent U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey of Americans 18 and older discovered that Catholics may not know their own faith as well as hoped. Approximately 40 percent of those polled were unaware of the Church’s position that the Eucharist becomes the body and blood of Jesus, rather than merely symbolizing it.

Amid growing concern over similar trends in the Church, dioceses across America are looking for innovative methods to properly train Catholic youth. One such method, implemented in Page, Arizona, created a space for religious training outside of traditional Sunday schools and private Catholic schools. Students at Page High School, a public institution, can now, during the school day, leave the campus and go across the street to the Catholic church to take a class in Catholic doctrine.

Avoiding conflict with the separation of church and state, no classes will be held on school grounds. Similar to an educational release program implemented for Mormon students seeking to include religious education in their traditional curriculum, the program establishes a winning compromise for both school administrators and religious families.

About the Author: Father Thomas Maikowski, retired Air Force Chaplain and Lieutenant Colonel, serves the Immaculate Heart of St. Mary Church in Page, Arizona, as a Pastoral Administrator.                            

Tips for Living a Catholic Life

A Catholic priest for nearly four decades and a retired reserve chaplain from the United States Air Force, Father Thomas Maikowski leads religious services in the northern regions of Arizona. Father Thomas Maikowski practices Catholicism and helps his congregation understand how to fulfill their purpose as dictated in the Bible.

One of the primary purposes for a devout practitioner of Catholicism involves serving others. While service can be in the form of obtaining an education in theology to become a priest or missionary, some people are called to marriage and a family life, where they can make a difference in the lives of others on an everyday basis. The following are a few ideas for daily practice.

1. Reflect on blessings and challenges regularly by praying. Scheduling daily time for prayer allows you to step away from your daily routine to thank God for the blessings you have received.

2. Make time to help the less fortunate. Seeking opportunities to participate in service projects fulfills your mission to serve others who are downtrodden or are facing injustices.

3. Strive to forgive and be forgiven to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Listen to your conscience and seek forgiveness of those you have offended.

4. Share your faith in the presence of others by joining a small Christian community. Joining a community allows you to grow alongside fellow believers and encourage others in their faith.

The Air Force Commendation Medal - Criteria and Design

Currently serving as a parish administrator in the Southwest United States, Father Thomas Maikowski previously spent more than 25 years with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) before retiring in 2009. Father Thomas Maikowski’s work as a USAF reserve chaplain received widespread recognition, including two Air Force Commendation Medals (AFCM).

An AFCM is presented in acknowledgement of meritorious service and achievement to a member of the Armed Forces of the United States. According to the USAFE Enlisted Heritage Gateway, the level of merit is required to be distinctive, although it doesn’t have to be singular. A member of the Armed Forces who performs acts of courage without voluntary risk of life is eligible for AFCM consideration. For example, a service member could earn the medal by offering instruction that significantly increases a unit’s combat readiness and thereby improves the unit’s performance on missions around the world.

Sanctioned by the Secretary of the Air Force in 1958, the bronze, hexagon-shaped AFCM features the Air Force Seal, which depicts an eagle with open wings resting atop a baton. Under the seal, there is a shield with flyer’s wings, a vertical baton, and eagle claws that is positioned over a background of eight lightning bolts.                            

University of Saint Francis Celebrates New Academic Year

A retired United States Air Force chaplain and longtime educator, Father Thomas Maikowski serves as a parish administrator and the director of a parish preschool in the southwestern United States. Father Thomas Maikowski has also garnered eight academic degrees in various subjects from Catholic academic institutions, including a master of science in education degree from the University of Saint Francis, in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

At its annual Founder’s Day celebration in August, USF announced that it experienced strong new student enrollment for the 2015-2016 school year after one of the university’s most substantial classes in decades graduated this past May. USF explains that a number of new programs helped foster a 13 percent increase in the number of incoming first-year students between 2014 and 2015.

During the Founder’s Day opening convocation and Mass, USF president Sister M. Elise Kriss, OSF, also highlighted the university’s most recent achievements and upcoming events, such as the upcoming celebrations marking the school’s 125th anniversary. Sister Elise additionally discussed the university’s Franciscan value for the new school year, “Reverence the unique dignity of each person,” while urging USF stakeholders to review Pope Francis’ recent encyclical that asks all individuals to care for the earth.

Admissions Outreach at USAFA

A longtime Catholic community leader based in Arizona and New Mexico, Father Thomas Maikowski serves as an admissions liaison officer with the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). In this capacity, Father Thomas Maikowski oversees recruiting efforts and conducts academy applicant interviews for high school students in the northwest New Mexico region. Every year, the USAFA and its representatives conduct outreach events in locations throughout the United States, designed to inform prospective students about the benefits of joining the Academy.

Through its admissions outreach programs, the USAFA attempts to increase its applicant pool to include students with diverse personal life experiences, socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds, physical abilities, cultural knowledge, and more. The USAFA also relies on its Diversity Visitation Program (DVP) to sponsor visits from especially diverse candidates. Participants in the DVP pair up with current cadets and have the opportunity to immerse themselves in campus life for three full days.