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About Us
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The Newman Center and Parish at Indiana University: Who We AreThe facilities at Dunn Street were sorely inadequate, and in 1967, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis appointed Fr. James Higgins to direct the construction of a new building on the recently purchased 2.85 acres of land on 17th Street. Then-IU President Herman B Wells had conceived of a corridor of Greek houses and religious groups in the northeast quadrant of campus on North Jordan Avenue. The new Catholic church was dedicated on Jan. 12, 1969, and established as the parish of St. Paul. Fr. James Higgins was the first pastor/director of the center. He served here until 1983.
The forerunner of St. Paul Catholic Center was a Newman Club established in 1928 by Fr. Paul Deery, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church. At the time, St. Charles School and Church were located in a building at 3rd and Dunn streets, adjacent to Indiana University, and more than 200 students were affiliated with the club.
After St. Charles relocated to its present facility on East Third Street in 1952, the Newman Club continued to use the old school building. Fr. Victor Wright, an Englishman, was assigned as the chaplain to the Newman Ministry in 1958.
Msgr. Higgins was a major figure on campus as well as in Bloomington. He was well acquainted with the athletic coaches and was known to have a seat directly behind the team at basketball games. He was awarded an IU honorary doctorate for his tireless work in May 1989. Serving with Msgr Higgins was Mary Ann Stephens, whose career at St. Paul spanned 23 years, until 1992.
A new chapter began at St. Paul when two young priests, Fr. Bob Sims and Fr. Kim Wolf, were assigned to the center. Fr. Bob was an avid runner and Fr. Kim enjoyed the arts. Beginning in 1991, they oversaw a $1.2-million renovation that provided church access without stairs and a new sanctuary area, reconfigured the church entrance (eliminating the choir loft), made the pillars round, and provided offices in the new Gathering Space area. Funds were solicited from all of the Indiana dioceses as well as from individuals. The space was dedicated in 1993, the 25th anniversary of the center. Also during these years a Parish Pastoral Council was created, a mission statement was crafted, and a development office was inaugurated, with Jerry Marsischky as the director.
A lay campus minister, Mark Erdosy, was hired in 1995. He was succeeded by Conor McIntyre in 2003. Throughout the 40 years of the center’s ministry there have been religious women on the pastoral staff: Sr. Luke Thomas, SP; Sr. Mary Maloney, SP; Sr. Mary Montgomery, SP; Sr. Concetta Fabo, OSF; and Sr. Kim Mandelkow, OSB.
The Dominican Friars were invited to succeed the archdiocesan priests at the Center in 2005. Three priests joined the staff that July: Fr. Robert Keller, OP; Fr. Stan Drongowski, OP; and Fr. Rich Litzau, OP. Currently serving as pastor is Fr. Patrick Hyde, OP, with two associate pastors, Fr. Dennis Woerter, OP, and Fr. Reginald Wolford, OP. We have been blessed with several Dominican students who have spent a year in service at St. Paul as part of their formation.
The staff has grown over the years to minister to the many international groups on campus, to teen youth, to the educational and formational needs of every age group, and to the elderly who have been associated with St. Paul for many years.
This growth is consistent with a parish that embraces all of the responsibilities and activities of any parish community, plus its mission as a Newman Center: to minister to university and college students in the area, especially those attending Indiana University.