About St. Pius X Newman Center, PSU · Pittsburg, Kansas
St. Pius X Catholic Student Center (also known as St. Pius X Newman Center, PSU) is the Catholic campus ministry serving the students, faculty, and staff of Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. Operated by the Diocese of Wichita and located at 301A East Cleveland — just north of the PSU football stadium and a short walk from campus — the center is dedicated to evangelizing college students and forming them into disciples of Christ. Locally branded by its beloved nickname 'Catholic Gorillas' (a nod to PSU's gorilla mascot), it offers daily and Sunday Mass, confession, Eucharistic adoration, faith formation, and a lively schedule of student groups, retreats, and service opportunities.
- Patron
- St. Pius X (Pope St. Pius X)
- Rector
- Rev. Derek Thome (Chaplain)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wichita
Why belong here
St. Pius X is built specifically to be a 'home away from home' for college students at Pittsburg State — a place to encounter other Catholics, encounter God in the Eucharist and sacrament of Confession, and grow as a disciple. The center runs daily Mass (including a late-evening weekday Mass timed for student schedules), Eucharistic adoration, a women's group, a men's group, a weekly book study, and faith-life formation and fellowship events throughout the school year. It also sends students to Campus Olympics and other regional gatherings, and offers a 'Pius Perks' benefits program for registered students. Whether you're a Catholic student, a faculty or staff member, or just searching, the chapel and its chaplain welcome you.
Mass times at St. Pius X Newman Center, PSU
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 9:35 AM – 10:00 AM (during school year)
- Sunday: 5:35 PM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:35 PM – 8:55 PM (during school year)
- Wednesday: 8:35 PM – 8:55 PM (during school year)
- Thursday: 8:35 PM – 8:55 PM (during school year)
- Friday: 11:35 AM – 12:00 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM (per Sept. 2024 weekly bulletin; 'Throwdown Thursday' follows)
About St. Pius X Catholic Student Center
St. Pius X Catholic Student Center is the Catholic campus ministry at Pittsburg State University in southeast Kansas, operated under the Diocese of Wichita. Its stated mission is 'to evangelize students at Pittsburg State University and form them into disciples of Christ.' Locally branded as the 'Catholic Gorillas' (the PSU mascot), the center welcomes Catholic students, faculty, and staff, along with anyone curious about the Catholic faith, to its chapel, programs, and community life. The center is led by chaplain Father Derek Thome and supported by Director of Development Bethany Kendrick and Administrative Assistant Amy Lomshek.
History of the Newman Center
Although a precise founding date is not published online, the Diocese of Wichita's necrology records name Father Joseph Gorentz — a native of Arma, Kansas — as chaplain of the St. Pius X Newman Center from 1970 to 1974, after assistant assignments in Coffeyville, Hutchinson, and Pittsburg. The center was then served by other priests over the following decades. In the early 2020s the student center was renovated, and Father Derek Thome was named the new chaplain, coming from previous assignments at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and the Church of the Magdalen in the Wichita area.
- 1970 — Fr. Joseph Gorentz appointed chaplain of St. Pius X Newman Center
- 1974 — Fr. Gorentz transferred to St. Paul Newman Center, Wichita
- Early 2020s — Building of the St. Pius X Catholic Student Center renovated
- Circa 2021 — Fr. Derek Thome installed as chaplain
Patron: St. Pius X
The center is named for Pope St. Pius X, who reigned from 1903 to 1914 and is remembered for fostering greater zeal and affection for the Eucharist and for combating what he saw as the errors of 'modernism.' Chosen as the patron of a college apostolate, his legacy speaks directly to the ministry's mission of evangelization and authentic Catholic formation. His feast day is celebrated on August 21.
- Patron: Pope St. Pius X (1835–1914)
- Feast day: August 21
- Key themes Fr. Thome highlights: Eucharistic zeal, resistance to modernism, the meaning of sacrifice
Student Life and Small Groups
Beyond the sacraments, St. Pius X runs weekly student programming throughout the school year. Monday evenings host the Women's Group and the Men's Group at 9:30 PM. Wednesdays include an open lunch from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and a book study at 7:30 PM — both opportunities for fellowship, conversation, and formation. Tuesdays include a Rosary for the Unborn at 8:30 PM, and Thursdays pair Eucharistic Adoration with the social 'Throwdown Thursday.' Students are encouraged to register with the center; those who sign up before the early-September deadline are entered into a drawing for a cash prize and free 'Pius Perks,' a member-benefit program that gives discounts and perks to registered students.
- Newman Club (student officers)
- Women's Group — Monday 9:30 PM
- Men's Group — Monday 9:30 PM
- Wednesday Lunch — 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- Book Study — Wednesday 7:30 PM
- Rosary for the Unborn — Tuesday 8:30 PM
- Pius Perks membership program
Special Events and Outreach
St. Pius X connects its students to the wider Catholic and university community through special events each semester. Family Day, the Saturday after Labor Day weekend in early September, opens the building for touring, celebrates a tailgate Mass, and hosts a cookout and outdoor games to welcome families to campus. The center also fields a team for the regional 'Campus Olympics' gathering of Catholic campus ministries — an event Fr. Thome has used to draw parallels between Christian discipleship and team competition, and which has drawn in students previously on the margins of the ministry.
- Family Day tailgate Mass and cookout
- Campus Olympics — Catholic campus-ministry gathering
- Student registration / Pius Perks Giveaway
Staff
The center's small team is led by the chaplain and supported by a director of development and an administrative assistant. The contact page and recent bulletins list the following staff.
- Rev. Derek Thome — Student Center Chaplain ([email protected])
- Bethany Kendrick — Director of Development ([email protected])
- Amy Lomshek — Administrative Assistant ([email protected])
Visit, Contact, and Office Hours
The chapel and offices are located at 301A East Cleveland Street, Pittsburg, KS 66762 — directly north of the PSU football stadium and a short walk from the main campus. The office phone is (620) 235-1138, and inquiries can also be emailed to staff at their @catholicgorillas.org addresses. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM (the contact page lists 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM when school is in session). For directions: take Joplin Street (3 blocks east of Broadway) north to Cleveland, then turn west.
- Address: 301A E. Cleveland St., Pittsburg, KS 66762
- Phone: (620) 235-1138
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (9:00 AM – 3:00 PM when school in session)
- Emails: frderek@, bethany@, [email protected]
Diocese of Wichita
St. Pius X Catholic Student Center is a ministry of the Diocese of Wichita, which is led by Bishop Carl A. Kemme and headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Diocesan communications have featured Fr. Thome's work and the center's renovation and mission, situating the Newman Center within the wider evangelization priorities of the diocese — especially its outreach to young adults in southeast Kansas.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joseph Gorentz1970–1974
First documented chaplain of St. Pius X Newman Center, Pittsburg; born in Arma, KS; ordained 1966 by Bishop Byrne; transferred in 1974 to chaplain the St. Paul Newman Center in Wichita.
- Father Derek Thomecirca 2021–present
Appointed chaplain shortly after the building's renovation; previously served St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and Church of the Magdalen.