About Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Student Center · Des Moines, Iowa
Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and Student Center is the Catholic parish serving Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Located one block south of the Drake campus at 1150 28th Street, it is one of 80 parishes in the Diocese of Des Moines and serves as the headquarters of the diocesan Office of Campus Ministry, which coordinates Catholic ministry at 12 colleges and universities across southwest Iowa. The parish blends about 170 resident parishioner households with a large, rotating population of Drake and other Des Moines-area college students, framing itself as a 'spiritual home away from home' where students can worship, study, serve, and form lasting community. Its ministry is supported by four full-time FOCUS missionaries, a Catholic parish staff, and the broader Newman Center tradition that has served Catholic students at Drake since the 1940s.
- Established
- 1940s
- Patron
- Saint Catherine of Siena
- Rector
- Very Rev. David Fleming (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
St. Catherine's is a small enough parish that students, families, and Drake-area residents genuinely get to know each other, while still offering a full Catholic life: weekday Masses, Thursday-night candlelight Mass, Sunday Mass with ASL interpretation, daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, multiple reconciliation times each week, and a vibrant student Mass with community supper on Sunday evenings. Ministry is intentionally hands-on — from FOCUS-led Bible studies and service trips to Encounter, the intergenerational faith formation program, and the Service Ministry's social-justice projects. If you want a Catholic community where your faith, your studies, and your friendships can grow together, St. Catherine's is built for exactly that.
Mass times at Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Student Center
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 7:00 PM (Reconciliation)
- Wednesday: 4:30 PM
- Thursday: 8:30 PM
- Friday: 11:30 AM
Adoration times
- Monday: 9:00 AM
- Tuesday: 7:00 PM
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM
- Thursday: 8:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM
Our Story — From 'Pilgrim People' to a Permanent Home
The Catholic community at Drake began informally in the 1940s when Dowling High School priests cared for the Newman Club and St. John's Basilica provided sacraments. Bishop George Biskup named Msgr. John McIlhon the first full-time Newman chaplain in 1967, and Bishop Maurice Dingman canonically established the Drake Newman Community as a non-territorial parish in 1969. For years the parish worshipped in the Bulldog Theater and any other space it could borrow, transforming venues like Sheslow Auditorium, Meredith Hall, and the Dowling library into weekend churches — and earning the nickname 'Pilgrim People.'
- 1940s: Catholic Newman Club founded at Drake with sacramental life at St. John's Basilica
- 1967: Bishop George Biskup names Msgr. John McIlhon first full-time Newman chaplain
- 1969: Bishop Maurice Dingman establishes the Drake Newman Community as a non-territorial parish
- 1993: Planning begins for a permanent student center
- 1997: Bishop Joseph Charron dedicates the St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Student Center, built under Fr. John Ludwig's leadership
- 2008–2009: Bishop Richard E. Pates creates the diocesan Office of Campus Ministry, headquartered at St. Catherine's
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Catherine's is currently led by Very Rev. David Fleming as Parochial Administrator (he also serves as Vicar General of the Diocese of Des Moines), with Rev. Daniel Adjei as Chaplain and Rev. Mr. Rick Condon as Deacon. Megan Schultz serves as Campus Minister and is the public face of student outreach.
- Very Rev. David Fleming — Parochial Administrator
- Rev. Daniel Adjei — Chaplain
- Rev. Mr. Rick Condon — Deacon
- Jan Blessum — Business Manager
- Megan Schultz — Campus Minister (515-650-8634)
- Rachelle Watters — Office Manager
- Dennis & Melinda Hendrickson — Music Coordinators
- Margaret Hanson — Liturgical Coordinator
- Laura Catherine Carruthers-Green — Faith Formation Coordinator & Family & Children's Ministry Coordinator
- Gus and Dee Cordero — Deaf Ministry Coordinators
- Parish Council (Ministry of Servant Leadership) chaired by John Chesser
- Finance Council (Ministry of Stewardship) chaired by Brendan Comito
Campus Ministry & Student Life
St. Catherine's describes itself as a 'spiritual home away from home' for Drake University and other Des Moines-area college students. Beyond liturgy, the building offers quiet study space, movie nights, and a calendar of fellowship events. Megan Schultz, Campus Minister, regularly invites students to reach out for a chat or a coffee walk.
- DU Bulldog Catholic — student organization for fellowship, pickleball tournaments, and Friday pancake breakfasts
- Thursday-night candlelight Mass at 9:15 PM followed by THAM (Thursdays after Mass)
- Sunday Student Supper following the 5:00 PM Mass
- Koinonia Retreat and Busy Students Retreat (spring)
- Regular Bible studies, game nights, and service trips
- Quiet study space available in the student center
FOCUS Missionaries
FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) places four full-time missionaries at St. Catherine's to walk with students in discipleship. They lead Bible studies, organize service trips and pilgrimages, run SEEK conference trips, and host community events like pancake breakfasts and game nights.
- Matt Prendergast — Team Director (832-904-8669, [email protected])
- Sam Pichardo (417-231-5102, [email protected])
- Efrain and Bridget Gonzalez (712-299-6929, [email protected])
- Lexi Kisor (419-308-9977, [email protected])
- Bible studies — multiple opportunities, contact Bridget to join
- International and local service trips and pilgrimages through FOCUS
- SEEK — annual four-day conference with 20,000+ college students
Parish Ministries & Community Formation
Beyond campus ministry, St. Catherine's runs a full parish ministry structure. Parishioners can engage in liturgy and music, faith formation, community-building, social-justice service, and stewardship. The parish is small enough that members genuinely know one another and can find a place to serve.
- Ministry of Servant Leadership (Parish Council)
- Ministry of Stewardship (Finance Council and Foundation)
- Ministry of Faith Formation — Family & Children's Ministry, Life-Long Learning, Encounter intergenerational program
- Ministry of Liturgy, Music & Prayer
- Ministry of Community Formation
- Ministry of Service — Catholic Social Teaching and social-justice projects
- Communications Team (led by Brian Gongol)
- Deaf Ministry — ASL interpretation at 10:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Hospitality Committee (Jan Wise), Safety Committee, Development Committee, St. Catherine Dialogue Series Committee
Diocesan Office of Campus Ministry
Since 2008, St. Catherine's has served as the headquarters of the Diocese of Des Moines' Office of Campus Ministry, supporting Catholic campus ministry at 12 colleges and universities and reaching an estimated 10,000 college students across southwest Iowa. The current diocesan office contact is Megan Schultz (515-271-4747, [email protected]).
- Grand View University
- Graceland University
- Simpson College
- Mercy College of Health Sciences
- Des Moines University
- Southwestern Community College
- Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC)
- Iowa Western Community College
- Diocesan Office of Campus Ministry contact: Bob Larson, [email protected], 515-237-5037
St. Catherine of Siena Foundation
The St. Catherine of Siena Foundation supports the student center and provides grant opportunities for the campus community. Recent years have seen foundation-funded programming such as financial literacy workshops. The foundation board supports ongoing physical improvements and ministry on and around the Drake campus.
- Provides grant opportunities to the Drake campus community
- Funded $19,200 in programming in 2023, including financial literacy
- Supports physical improvements to the student center
- Endowment fund created by registered members
Visit, Connect, and Register
New parishioners and students are encouraged to register online through the parish website or by contacting the parish office. The student center is open to all Des Moines-area college students — not just Drake — for worship, study, and community. The office asks parishioners to notify them of any change in contact information.
- Register online at stcatherinedrake.org or by contacting the parish office
- Parish office: [email protected], 515-650-8646
- Campus Minister Megan Schultz: 515-650-8634
- Address: 1150 28th St., Des Moines, IA 50311
- Office hours and updates published weekly in the St. Kate's newsletter
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. John McIlhon1967–
Named by Bishop George Biskup as the first full-time Newman chaplain at Drake; helped establish a storefront center near the Varsity Theater on 25th Street.
- Fr. John Ludwigpre-1997–post-1997
Pastored the Newman Center and oversaw construction of the current St. Catherine of Siena building, which was dedicated in 1997.
- Msgr. Stephen Orr2001–2004
Added pastoral care of St. Catherine's in 2001 while serving as vicar general and moderator of the curia under Bishop Charron.
- Fr. Joel McNeil2009–
Appointed Pastor of St. Catherine's and the first diocesan director of campus ministry after Bishop Pates created the diocesan Office of Campus Ministry.
- Fr. Mark Owusu2012–
Took over as Director of the diocesan Office of Campus Ministry.
- Rev. Protas Okwalo, S.J.Fall 2019–Summer 2025
Joined as administrator in fall 2019; farewell reception held June 29, 2025 following the 10 a.m. Mass.
- Very Rev. David Fleming2025–present
Currently serving as Parochial Administrator while also serving as Vicar General of the Diocese of Des Moines.