Newman Center

A Place to Pray, A Place to Gather, A Place to Grow

“College years are a critical developmental time, and our students are navigating complex and confusing spiritual, intellectual, and moral challenges. Newman can provide the foundation to prepare our students to be disciples far beyond campus. Your gift today will help us make history.”

–REV. BRIAN C. COOL '06W (MS)

J. NELSON HOFFMAN '55 AND JOAN DUTCHER HOFFMAN '55 DIRECTOR OF CATHOLIC NEWMAN COMMUNITY PASTORAL CARE

Help make this project a complete success—donate today.

Where we are

For more than 50 years, Newman priests and chaplains have supported Catholic students and the entire University community, providing spiritual, emotional, and practical counsel to those in need.

By engaging in prayer, attending mass, participating in Kairos retreats, and celebrating the sacraments, our students become authentic witnesses of Christian life.

Inspirational programs, retreats, and volunteer opportunities such as Alternative Spring Break help our students grow personally, spiritually, and socially while developing valuable leadership skills.

Through lectures, interfaith dialogue, and study, students enhance their understanding of the Catholic tradition. They gain greater self-awareness and the ability to firmly articulate their faith.

Newman demonstrates how to lead a life of morality, compatible with Church doctrine
Newman fosters in oneself a personal and communal relationship with Christ
Newman teaches students to show compassion to the poor and vulnerable
Newman provides the confidence to give witness to one's faith
Newman offers the tools to align oneself with justice and the tenets of Catholic Social Teaching
Newman seeks to sow a healthy balance of compromise and truth in a world full of vice, acquisition, and exclusion
Newman prepares one to be an effective leader in his or her future faith journey
Newman helps one discern the possibility of a life of service in the Church¹

Consider this

The undergraduate student body has grown by more than 30 percent since 2006, and growth in the Catholic student population has outpaced all other religious groups. Twenty-five percent of our undergraduates today identify as Catholic. Newman still operates in the same limited space with essentially the same number of staff as when it was first established in 1963. To expand programs and reach an underserved population that includes first-generation and international students, Eastman and medical students, and students who have drifted away from their faith, Newman needs more space.

With over 2,000 students, Catholicism is the largest religious tradition at UR
Our ministry engages over 450 students in programming and Mass weekly
Newman sponsors over 100 programs and ministry offerings each year
There are more than 75 students in leadership roles at Newman

Where we are going

With its own student center, Newman can fully serve our large and diverse student body with more sacramental experiences, increased pastoral presence, and expanded student outreach and engagement.

University leadership enthusiastically supports this building effort and has provided an ideal campus location for a Newman Student Center. Newman leadership and board members support this challenge to raise the funds for this historic, transformational new building.

Please click here to watch our Town Hall from June 24, 2020. In it you will find more details on renderings, floorplans, and FAQs on the project, including naming opportunities.

If you have any questions about giving to the project or on the building itself, please email us at [email protected].

Donate here and make a difference in our future.

Thank you!

Thank you to all who have donated to this transformational project thus far! We honestly could not have done any of this without you—creating new and exciting opportunities for worship, faith formation, social fellowship, and service for generations to come!

“The Newman Community cultivates and serves all aspects of our students’ lives and provides a welcoming space for personal growth, faith, and leadership. We wholeheartedly support Newman’s quest to expand their ministry and better serve our growing student population.”