August 14, 2009

College Catholics

The Catholic presence on campus

By Kamilla Benko

At Catholic universities like Marian and Notre Dame, it is easy to find Catholic students. But even at large secular universities like Purdue and Indiana, it’s possible to find Catholic students. Near every large Indiana college is a Newman Center.

“The Newman Center is the Catholic voice and faith in a secular university,” said Dominican Father Robert Keller, pastor of St. Paul Catholic Center in Bloomington. “We are doing the archbishop’s ministry in the university.”

The Newman Centers are places to form Catholic ministry, attend retreats, volunteer in the community and participate in discussions on the faith.

They are also a place for young Catholics to gather together.

In West Lafayette, Ali Carson, who will be a sophomore at Purdue University, said she found the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center to be extremely helpful in keeping in touch with the Catholic community.

“St. Tom’s is really good in making its Masses in the evening and coordinating them with the students’ schedules,” she said. “There’s always lots of stuff going on at St. Tom’s, like ice cream socials and Mass outside.”

To learn more about the Newman Center that is closest to your college, visit these Web sites:

(* Denotes Newman Centers outside the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.) †

Local site Links: