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Finding a faith and a community that makes a difference
You might be having one of the hardest weeks of your life. You might feel far from home.
And then you come to Mass, or to the Chapel to pray. Or you meet up with a few other students in a small group. Or you come to hang out with friends, and study, or talk. And your heart is lifted.
While students are away from home, and away from their parishes, we at the Newman Center make present the care of the Church, to support them through these years of finding themselves.
Newman is a place where college students can discover God in their life, and find direction for their life. Newman is where young people can participate in a vibrant liturgy among students who are searching for more in their faith, to hear the Gospel, and want to live differently.
Young people need this. They need Christ in their life. They need love, and faith, and prayer, and hope. They need the Catholic Church. The WORLD needs this.
This is my joy. This is what we do at the Catholic Newman Center. It is the joy of my heart to see young people light up, their hearts filled with a love that is real that they have found in the Church. It is the joy of my heart to accompany young people who are searching, and yearning for there to be light in the world, and to be a light in the world. It is my joy to work with others to invest in them, at this time in their life. And it is my joy to see it bear fruit after their time here.
Chris Korte
Director
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In their own words…
We asked students to share in their own words "What is the Newman Center to you?" This is compiled from only a few of the responses.
When I think of the Newman Center, I think of chocolate chip pancakes smothered in syrup and peanut butter. My freshman year at Truman I had made some slow growing friendships with students at Newman. One of the defining moments of those relationships was one random Saturday morning, we decided to make pancakes. We wanted to make them at Newman because the kitchen was much bigger than those in the dorms and there was plenty of space to make a mess. It turns out our pancake making skills needed work. However, I spent the morning laughing hard and making friendships that will last me for the rest of my life. Over the course of my freshman year, we made pancakes several more times in order to refine the art that is pancake making. There was never any question as to where our delicious pancake making would go down. (Bethany)
Being at Newman has given me the opportunity to make lifelong connections and has taught me the importance of community with the Church.
If it weren't for Newman, I would not have some of my best friends. I would not have decided to consecrate myself to Mary. I would not have known there were vocations to be called to other than marriage. I would not have known how to be a volunteer during the mass. I wouldn't have known the beauty of Adoration. I would not have learned the importance of a daily mass. Newman has helped me grow spiritually these past 2 years, and I have never been happier. (Casey)
At Newman, I see God in my friends. They are always there to support me, no matter if I come into Newman laughing or crying. Their selfless love is constant here, and I know that if I ever need a friend, they will be at Newman. They rejoice in my joy and comfort me when I am hurt. Newman has truly become my home. There are so many wonderful memories that I have been blessed to make here and with these friends. I love how people always give me a hug when I walk in the door and make me feel welcome. I've never been turned away at Newman, and that is so special to me.
Thank you so much for supporting Newman! Because of your support, God has been able to work through my life in so many ways! Coming in as a freshman, I was not involved with my faith, but that all changed because of Newman. Now, I grow more and more in my faith, surrounded with the wonderful environment that is Newman. I know I am not the only one who's faith life has been impacted here.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart! (Emily)
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How we need help
At the Newman Center we serve the students in three ways: Sacramental, Peer Ministry, and a Building where they can connect with others. Through these three ways, we see the fruit of how Christ is present in the lives of students.
About third of our budget is to provide a priest to be available for spiritual direction and for an enriching sacramental life with Mass and Reconciliation.
Another a third of our budget is to provide a variety of peer ministries under the supervision of our Director.
And a third of our budget is to provide a building, under the management of our Office Manager, who deals with accounting and building upkeep.
We operate with a minimum of paid staff, in order to keep costs down. And this also empowers students to take ownership in leadership in the many ministries of our center.
There are over 500 students who come here to the Newman Center for Mass or other ministries EACH WEEK, where they can find a faith home and connect with God and with friends more deeply, to support them in their life.
To have a vibrant and active Newman Center, we need $125,500 for our annual operating expenses.
| To have a vibrant and active Newman Center we need: |
| $74,789 |
Salaries and insurance for a Chaplain,
Director, and Office Manager* |
| $25,331 |
Utilities and insurance and supplies
to have a building for our ministries |
| $25,385 |
Costs to have activities for our students,
for social, spiritual, service, and leadership |
| $125,505 |
Total Annual Operating Expenses |
About 20% of our financial support comes from Sunday collection from students, and student fundraising, efforts ($25,850). Almost 10% of our support comes from local Businesses of our community who sponsor us, and local rental of our facilities (about $10,600). And 25% of our support comes from Catholics of our parishes of the Diocese of Jefferson City ($32,000). All of this together raises just over HALF of our overall need.
| Where does our funding come from? |
| $25,850 |
Weekly Sunday collection
Student fundraising |
| $10,600 |
Local Business Sponsors
Rental of our facilities |
| $32,000 |
Catholic parishes
of the Diocese of Jefferson City |
| $57,000 |
STILL NEEDED |
We still need to raise $57,000.
This is where we need you – parents and grandparents who are committed to providing solid Catholic campus ministry. In this way, you are partners in ministry to them.
It is difficult to ask. But we really need your help.
We ask for a donation of $100 or $200, to sponsor a student here for the year. We need every family to give something, to provide a center to serve these students. Your support makes a big difference. Please make us a part of your tithing effort. Any contribution will be a valued. Your generosity is a sincere part of making our ministries happen.
Help us to continue to be a presence and a positive force in the lives of so many students.
Please consider financially supporting us on a regular basis. You can give a one-time gift online, or you can set up recurring payments that will automatically come out of your account. And of course, you can always send us a check to: Catholic Newman Center, 709 S. Davis St. Kirksville MO 63501.
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Instructions on how to donate
If it helps, it might work better for some people to give a little bit each month. We even have a way to set that up for you through Paypal or through your bank, or credit card.
To give a donation through PayPal, or with a credit card through Paypal, or to set up an ongoing monthly or quarterly donation, click the "Donate Now" button below this text box to be directed to our website.
If you want to give through a Credit Card, but not through Paypal, please contact Lance, our office manager at 660-665-4357 or at office.tsnewman@gmail.com. We will need your name, address, email, phone number, credit card and credit card number, and expiration date. Please give this information to us over the phone, or by mail.
To give from a Bank Account (Electronic Funds Transfer), email or call us to let us know what you would like to donate, and if it is a one-time gift or ongoing, and please send a VOIDED check for account verification. Contact Lance, our Office Manager, at 660-665-4357 or office.tsnewman@gmail.com to set up an easy and secure way to make a financial contribution.
Also, PLEASE pass this on to Grandparents or Godparents, or any other family member or friend who might help support the young people we serve at the Newman Center.
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Building Expansion Update
This May will be ten years since the fire that destroyed our former Newman Center. A lot has happened in those years. A lot of students have found a gift here during their time at Truman. And we long to complete what we started, in providing a center for our faith community.
In those ten years we have seen how we use the space in our ministries. And we have seen what space we need to minister better with our students. This year we are meeting with students about their experience of the building , to evaluate what works best for them, and what they feel that we need. We are considering some new proposals that follow from our actual need of space and how we actually use our space, and is financially realistic for what we can accomplish. Our building campaign still includes an enlarged Eucharistic Chapel that can accommodate 30 to 40 people for Adoration and prayer throughout the week, Administrative office space, and a room for Reconciliation and Spiritual Direction. This year we will be meeting with an architect to re-visit our plans for our expansion, and we will be meeting with the Diocese to make plans to move forward.
If you would like to make a contribution toward our expansion, simply indicate on your donation that you want it to go to the Building Campaign. You can make a difference that will continue to give for generations to come.
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Thank you again for all of your prayers and donations.
Without all of you, we could not have this ministry.
Keep us in your hearts and prayers, you are in ours!
Love and peace,
Chris Korte
Catholic Newman Center
709 S. Davis St. Kirksville MO 63501
info@newmantruman.org
660-665-4357
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