About St. Lawrence Catholic Church & Newman Center · Minneapolis, Minnesota
St. Lawrence Catholic Church & Newman Center, also known as Gopher Catholic, is the Catholic university parish serving the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Founded in 1887 as a 'university parish' under Archbishop John Ireland and the Paulist Fathers, today it brings together resident parishioners who live and raise families in the neighborhood with the university community of more than 50,000 students. The parish exists to make disciples of Jesus at the University of Minnesota through worship, formation, fellowship, service, and leadership, welcoming over 1,200 students to its three Sunday Masses during the school year.
- Established
- 1887
- Patron
- St. Lawrence
- Rector
- Fr. Jake Anderson
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Lawrence Newman Center is a unique blend of a resident parish family and a vibrant university campus ministry, where University of Minnesota students, young adults, and long-time parishioners grow together in faith. More than 1,200 students attend one of three Sunday Masses during the school year, supported by an active sacramental life (daily Mass, daily confession, weekday adoration), small-group formation, and outreach through missionaries from Saint Paul's Outreach and the Brotherhood of Hope. Whether you are a student seeking deep friendships and the bold truths of the Catholic faith, or a neighborhood family looking for a parish home near the U of M campus, St. Lawrence welcomes you to encounter Christ through the Eucharist and sacraments and to build transformative relationships that last a lifetime.
Mass times at St. Lawrence Catholic Church & Newman Center
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (after daily Mass)
- Tuesday: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (after daily Mass)
- Wednesday: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (after daily Mass)
- Thursday: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (after daily Mass; NO confessions on Thursdays during the summer)
- Friday: 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (after daily Mass)
- Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to last penitent
Adoration times
- Monday–Friday during the school year: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
History of St. Lawrence Parish
St. Lawrence was dedicated on November 27, 1887, originally in a white clapboard building at the corner of 7th Street SE and 12th Avenue SE. Archbishop John Ireland founded it as a 'university parish' and entrusted it to the Paulist Fathers to serve the Catholic students of the University of Minnesota. In 1915 the parish grew and the move to a new site began; in 1921 the cornerstone was laid for the present building at 5th Street and 12th Avenue SE, with the school opening that September and the first Mass in February 1922. In 2013, after more than a century with the Paulists, the archdiocese returned leadership to diocesan priests and welcomed Fr. Jon Vander Ploeg. The Newman Center, which had been briefly split off (at 1228 4th St SE and then on University Avenue), was merged back with the parish in 1998.
- 1887 – Parish dedicated on November 27
- 1915 – Parish growth / relocation
- 1921 – Cornerstone laid for current building; school opens
- 1922 – First Mass celebrated in the new church
- 1926 – Continued growth milestone
- 1998 – Newman Center merged back with St. Lawrence
- 2013 – Leadership returns to diocesan priests; Fr. Jon Vander Ploeg welcomed
Mission, Vision, and Core Values
St. Lawrence Newman Center describes itself as a Catholic church making disciples of Jesus at the University of Minnesota by building transformative relationships and raising up leaders in the faith. Its vision is to be one spiritual family in which students, young adults, and resident parishioners become lifelong disciples. The parish is guided by core values that include outreach to students and young adults, formation of mind and heart, and a sacramental life centered on the Eucharist and Reconciliation.
- Mission: Make disciples of Jesus at the University of Minnesota
- Vision: One spiritual family forming lifelong disciples
- Outreach, formation of mind and heart, and sacramental life as core pillars
Pastoral Leadership and Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Jake Anderson, Pastor and Director. The staff team includes a Managing Director of Campus Ministry, Business Administrator, Director of Music, Director of Marketing, Director of Development, Associate Director of Development, Parish Life Coordinator, Pastoral Support, Administrative Assistant / Safe Environment Coordinator, and Campus Ministers. Campus ministry is supported by members of the Brotherhood of Hope religious brothers and by Saint Paul's Outreach missionaries, including chapter leaders and full-time missionaries.
- Fr. Jake Anderson — Pastor and Director
- Br. Brandt Haglund, B.H. — Managing Director of Campus Ministry
- Joe Geiger / Nick Chalmers — Campus Ministers
- Margaret Utecht — Director of Music
- Jon Knorr — Business Administrator
- Gianna Bonello — Director of Marketing
- Ryan Scherber — Director of Development
- Br. Jude Lasota, B.H. — Assoc. Director of Development
- Br. Austin Riordan, B.H. — Administrative Assistant / Safe Environment Coordinator
- Br. Gary Davis, B.H. — Parish Life Coordinator
- Micki Hall — Pastoral Support
- Sebastian Reyes / Ebele Mgbemena / David Switala / Chris Medina / Katie Stambrosky / Sophie Ricard — Saint Paul's Outreach missionaries and chapter leaders
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) is the parish's program for adults preparing to receive Baptism, Eucharist, and/or Confirmation, or to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church. Classes meet weekly from late September through Easter and include presentations, questions, discussion, community, and prayer, grounded in the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Sessions are held either on Sunday mornings or Tuesday nights. Interested adults are invited to fill out an interest form as a non-binding first step.
- Weekly classes from late September through Easter
- Foundations: Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Open to those unbaptized, already baptized Christian, or Catholic completing initiation sacraments
Faith Formation for Children and Youth
Because St. Lawrence is primarily a university parish, sacramental preparation for children is offered in partnership with neighboring Holy Cross Catholic Parish. First Communion and Reconciliation preparation is generally for second graders, and Confirmation is generally for ninth grade and older. Classes meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., running from mid-October to mid-May. Registration is handled through Holy Cross Catholic Church.
- Partner: Holy Cross Catholic Parish (612-789-7238)
- First Communion / Reconciliation: generally 2nd grade
- Confirmation: generally 9th grade or older
- Wednesday evenings, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., mid-October to mid-May
Parish Life and Small Groups
St. Lawrence's parish life groups knit together students, young adults, and resident parishioners around Scripture, fellowship, and formation. Women Growing in Faith is a biblically focused women's Bible study using the Blessed is She and Walking with Purpose programs, meeting on Monday evenings. Gopher Catholic Young Adults gathers men and women ages 22–32 around Mass and small groups on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. during the school year. The Builders Men's Ministry offers intergenerational monthly gatherings that foster fraternity and the call to stand as fathers, brothers, and sons.
- Women Growing in Faith — Monday evenings, Blessed is She / Walking with Purpose studies
- Gopher Catholic Young Adults — 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m., ages 22–32
- Builders Men's Ministry — monthly intergenerational gatherings
Campus Missionaries: Brotherhood of Hope and Saint Paul's Outreach
The campus ministry team at St. Lawrence is strengthened by two missionary groups. The Brotherhood of Hope is a religious brotherhood of men serving in campus ministry, with brothers in roles ranging from Managing Director of Campus Ministry and Parish Life Coordinator to Associate Director of Development and Administrative Assistant. Saint Paul's Outreach provides chapter leaders and full-time missionaries who live in community and serve students directly through Bible studies, retreats, outreach, and one-on-one mentorship.
- Brotherhood of Hope brothers on staff and in ministry
- Saint Paul's Outreach chapter leaders and missionaries
- Bible studies, retreats, outreach, and one-on-one mentorship offered through missionaries
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Paulist Fathers1887–2013
Invited by Archbishop John Ireland to staff the university parish and what became the Newman Center.
- Fr. Jon Vander PloegSeptember 2013
Welcomed when the archdiocese returned leadership to diocesan priests.
- Fr. Jake Anderson
Current pastor and director; member of the Companions of Christ, ordained 2015, originally from Baldwin, Wisconsin.