Cornhole tournaments, coffee carts, ultimate frisbee, barbeques, free carne asada tacos and popsicles, group hikes and basketball dunking contests – these are some of the creative ways Newman Centers are engaging and welcome new and returning students during the first weeks of college. And the college students are loving it!
Welcomed by the joyful faces of religious sisters, priests, volunteers, missionaries, fellow students and leadership teams – all of whom rallied to make sure these college students know that it is a joy to receive them – an incredible impact has already been made in the hearts of countless young adults.
This was reflected as more than 1,180 college students attended Welcome Week Masses at the Newman Centers across the Diocese of Phoenix.
Newman Centers – named after Saint John Henry Newman, who as a cardinal took the motto, “heart speaks to heart” – are centers of Catholic pastoral care and ministry at non-Catholic universities around the world. But more than that, they are places that foster a sense of belonging, welcome, purpose and communal joy.
In the Diocese of Phoenix, we are blessed to have three thriving Newman Centers: All Saints Newman Center at Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe, Ariz., Holy Spirit Newman Center at Grand Canyon University (GCU) in Phoenix and Holy Trinity Newman Center at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Over the years innumerable students have had life-changing and personal encounters with Jesus and with one another at the three Newman Centers, and one of these profound moments happened this past week.
Joey is a freshman at NAU and a flyer on campus about Holy Trinity Newman Center Welcome Week activities caught his eye. He decided to attend a group hike, and he had such an incredible experience that the next day he returned to the Newman Center to attend Mass.
It was the first Catholic Mass he has ever experienced.
Sitting in the front row wearing his baseball cap at Mass, Joey felt such peace that he returned later that day to attend Mass again. Since then, he has attended the first day of school barbeque, where he played basketball and introduced himself to new friends. Joey has been at college for just over a week and he has already found a sense of home within the Newman Center community, and he desires to learn more about what it means to be Catholic.
This is one of the countless stories of personal impact that students have experienced at Newman Centers, which have held a presence in the Diocese of Phoenix since its establishment in 1969.
Not only do students find a sense of belonging and purpose within community, but more importantly they are provided the opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ in a deep and personal way. Joey is in good company, as numerous religious vocations, marriages, leaders and missionary disciples have been formed, fostered and sent forth from Newman Centers into the world to share the Good News.
Newman Center Welcome Week has been a smashing success across the diocese, and things are just getting started. Already planned are men’s and women’s groups, engaging speakers, free meals, community nights, Bible studies and other formative opportunities throughout the academic year.
All Saints Newman Center, Holy Spirit Newman Center and Holy Trinity Newman Center truly echo the motto of St. Cardinal John Henry Newman – “heart speaks to heart.” And it is through this very coming together of hearts that college students’ lives are being changed.
Follow all three Newman Centers on Instagram for more information on Welcome Week and upcoming Newman Center events: ASU All Saints Newman Center @asucatholic – GCU Holy Spirit Newman Center @gcucatholics – NAU Holy Trinity Newman Center @catholic_jacks
