St. John the Evangelist [Oklahoma State University]

About St. John Catholic Student Center

St. John Catholic Student Center — popularly known as the "Catholic Pokes" — is the Catholic university parish and Newman Center serving the approximately 25,000 students of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Under Pastor Fr. Kerry Wakulich, the parish's stated mission is to "build Saints for the Kingdom of God." The parish operates seven days a week, with daily Mass, Bible studies, free meals, ongoing religious education, intramural sports, FOCUS missionaries, retreats, and service opportunities forming the core of student life. A welcome archway at the corner of Miller and Knoblock bears the scriptural greeting "When I was a stranger, you welcomed me," and the parish encourages newcomers to walk through its doors and make St. John their church home.

History & the New Building

The parish dates to 1965, when its original church and student center was built beside the Oklahoma State campus. For decades St. John was the spiritual home for countless OSU students — alumni still describe their years there as the most memorable part of college. By the late 2010s the building had reached advanced deterioration and could not accommodate the growing ministry, so under Fr. Kerry Wakulich and the development team, the parish launched a $24 million capital campaign on September 12, 2020 — remarkably, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bishop David A. Konderla of the Diocese of Tulsa presided over the groundbreaking on June 19, 2021. The new three-story, 40,700-square-foot facility was completed in April 2023 at a cost of $19.5 million, more than doubling the old footprint.

• 1965: Original St. John church and student center built adjacent to the OSU campus.
• September 12, 2020: $24 million capital campaign launched by Fr. Kerry Wakulich during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• June 19, 2021: Groundbreaking ceremony presided over by Bishop David A. Konderla.
• April 2023: Completion of the new 40,700-sq-ft church and student center.

Staff, FOCUS Missionaries & Clergy

Fr. Kerry Wakulich serves as pastor and is supported by a campus ministry and FOCUS missionary team covering finance, development, communications, RCIA and catechesis. The Diocese of Tulsa parish-finder listing identifies the staff explicitly:

• Pastor: Rev. Kerry Wakulich ([email protected])
• Finance: Blake Bostick
• Director of Development: Brett Akins
• Development/Communications: Taylor Akins
• Assistant Campaign Manager: Lauren Lacy
• Campus Minister: Holly Uribe
• RCIA: Kimberly Williams
• Catechesis: Chris Petrin
• Maintenance: Irene McKelvey
• FOCUS Missionaries serving the OSU campus

Ministries & Student Life

St. John's student-life programming centers on building both holiness and friendship. Opportunities include daily Mass, FOCUS-led Bible studies, a Student Choir, Praise & Worship nights, Defensum Fidei (Catholic apologetics), intramural sports, retreats, a student choir, ongoing catechesis, RCIA for those entering the Church, the OSU Knights of Columbus council, and free meals throughout the week. The new building's first-floor "hoftorium" — a parish-hall-style space designed for discussion, debate and higher thinking — supports much of this programming alongside a full-service kitchen.

• Daily Mass & Eucharistic Adoration
• Bible studies (FOCUS-led)
• Student Choir
• Praise and Worship nights
• Defensum Fidei (apologetics)
• OSU Knights of Columbus
• Intramural sports
• Service opportunities and outreach trips
• Free meals for students
• RCIA & ongoing catechesis

Sacraments

Information on the seven sacraments is available through the parish office. Reconciliation is offered at the posted times below; First Communion, Confirmation, Baptism, Marriage and Anointing of the Sick should be arranged by contacting the parish. RCIA — the process for adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church — is coordinated by Kimberly Williams.

• Reconciliation: Tu-Fr 8:00-9:00 AM, M-Th 4:30-5:20 PM, Sun 9:00 AM & 3:00 PM
• RCIA: Kimberly Williams ([email protected])
• Catechesis: Chris Petrin ([email protected])
• Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — inquire with the parish office

Facility, Architecture & Accessibility

The brand-new (April 2023) three-story church and student center is a $19.5 million, 40,700-square-foot replacement for the 1965 original. The first floor contains the church and the "hoftorium" — a parish-hall-style common space designed to encourage discussion, debate, and higher thinking — plus a full-service kitchen, parish offices, and a campus ministry office. The second floor hosts meeting and study spaces, religious-education classrooms, and the rector's living quarters, while the basement holds mechanical systems and flexible space. The church seats 472 people with additional standing room for 83. The building is fully ADA compliant, with ramps, wider doorways, and an elevator to all floors, and includes modern security and fire-prevention systems, Wi-Fi, and video screens throughout.

• 40,700-sq-ft facility completed April 2023
• Church seats 472 + 83 standing
• First-floor "hoftorium" common space
• ADA-compliant: ramps, wider doorways, full-building elevator
• Wi-Fi, video screens, modern security/fire systems

Visit, Contact & Getting Involved

St. John is located at the corner of Miller and Knoblock streets, one block from the OSU campus. The parish office can be reached at (405) 372-6408 (fax 405-372-6409) or by email at [email protected], and updates on Mass times, bulletins, and the parish calendar are posted at catholicpokes.com. Capital-campaign and construction news is published at buildingsaints.com.

• Address: 201 N. Knoblock Street, Stillwater, OK 74075-7510
• Phone: (405) 372-6408 | Fax: (405) 372-6409
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: catholicpokes.com
• Capital-campaign updates: buildingsaints.com