About St. Thomas Aquinas (Newman Center) · Lincoln, Nebraska
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, also known as the Newman Center, is the Catholic parish serving the campus of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the wider Lincoln college community. Its mission is "to forge college students into saints, fully alive in Christ," pursued through a clear path of discipleship built around the words Community, Conversion, Build, Send, and Forge. Centrally located at the corner of 16th and Q Streets, the parish offers a robust schedule of three Sunday Masses, two daily Masses, ten hours of weekly confession, and approximately sixty hours of Eucharistic Adoration each week, supported by FOCUS missionaries, the Newman Institute, retreats, OCIA, Bible studies, and the student-driven social and service programs of a classic Newman apostolate.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Rector
- Rev. Ryan Kaup
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lincoln
Why belong here
The Newman Center is the Catholic home on UNL campus for any student who wants to grow in faith during college rather than simply survive it. It pairs a deep sacramental life — three Sunday Masses, two daily Masses, ten hours of confession and about sixty hours of weekly Eucharistic Adoration — with a structured, intentional discipleship path (Community, Conversion, Build, Send, Forge), eleven FOCUS missionaries serving in friendship and Bible study, the academic Newman Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture, retreats from silent and discernment retreats to SEEK and mission trips, OCIA for those entering the Church, and a lively social calendar (Newman Games, Night Fever, Barn Party, Greek life outreach) that has long been noted for fostering priestly and religious vocations as well as strong Catholic marriages.
Mass times at St. Thomas Aquinas (Newman Center)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Thursday: 4:30–5:20 PM
- Monday–Thursday: 8:00–9:00 PM
- Friday: 4:30–5:20 PM
- Sunday: 8:00–9:00 PM
Adoration times
- Monday–Thursday: 9:00 AM–9:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM–5:20 PM
- Sunday: 9:00–10:00 AM and 8:00–9:00 PM
Our Mission and Discipleship Path
The parish's mission is 'to forge college students into saints, fully alive in Christ.' It expresses this mission through a five-stage path of discipleship — Community, Conversion, Build, Send, and Forge — that organizes its programs, retreats, and ministry teams into a coherent formation process for college-age Catholics. The Newman Center also welcomes all college students in the Lincoln area, not only UNL students, including those at Southeast Community College and Nebraska Wesleyan.
- Community
- Conversion
- Build
- Send
- Forge
Our History
Catholic campus ministry at UNL began with the formation of a Catholic student club in 1906, placing the parish in the historic American Newman apostolate. The mid-twentieth century brought a substantial 1960s-era Newman Center complex just off campus; by the early 2010s that facility was too small for the daily Mass attendance and the crowds that flowed out the door on holy days. The decision was made to demolish the 1960s buildings and build a new church and ministry center on the same footprint; the new St. Thomas Aquinas / Newman Center was designed by James McCrery, AIA, of McCrery Architects in a traditional Catholic idiom and was dedicated on April 12, 2015.
- 1906 — First Catholic club formed at UNL
- 1960s — Major Newman Center complex built on the 16th & Q site
- 2015 (April 12) — New St. Thomas Aquinas church and Newman Center dedicated
- Since 2015 — Ministries expanded; 2,000+ students served annually
Architecture and the Building
The 2015 church was designed by James McCrery, AIA, NCARB, principal of McCrery Architects. Built on the same corner of 16th and Q Streets as the previous 1960s complex, it features traditional Catholic architecture and is widely noted for its stained glass and a peaceful chapel used for adoration. Tours are offered by appointment during the academic year (generally 1–9 PM Monday–Thursday and 1–5 PM Fridays), and a digital brochure is available for those who cannot visit in person.
- Architect: James McCrery, AIA — McCrery Architects
- Dedicated April 12, 2015
- Stained glass and chapel highlighted in parish tour
- Tours available by appointment
Clergy and Staff
Pastoral leadership is provided by Fr. Ryan Kaup (Pastor and Chaplain) and Fr. Alec Sasse (Assistant Pastor and Vocation Director), with Fr. Caleb La Rue in residence and serving the wider Diocese of Lincoln. The lay staff carries out the day-to-day operations of campus ministry, music, development, finance, communications, and facilities; additional Diocesan priests serve on the Newman Institute faculty. The parish also benefits from a FOCUS Team Director coordinating eleven on-campus FOCUS missionaries.
- Fr. Ryan Kaup — Pastor & Chaplain
- Fr. Alec Sasse — Assistant Pastor & Vocation Director
- Rev. Caleb La Rue — In Residence
- Fr. Matthew Rolling — Adjunct Newman Institute Faculty
- Fr. James Morin — Adjunct Newman Institute Faculty
- Victoria Fassett — Director of Campus Ministry
- Patrick Callahan — Director of the Newman Institute
- John Kanel — Director of Music & Special Projects
- Anders Peterson — FOCUS Team Director
- Drew Hines, CFRE — Director of Development
- Jude Werner, CFRE — Senior Director of Major & Planned Gifts
- Patti Montgomery — Director of Finance & HR
- Keri Timmerman — Senior Administrative Assistant
- Noah Miller — Staff Accountant & Parish Secretary
- Bob Creal — Maintenance Supervisor
- Lana Hebda — Marketing & Communications Specialist
- Marcus Schneider / Emma Breitfelder — Wedding Coordinator
Formation: Community, Conversion, Build
The first three stages of the discipleship path form the foundation of student life at the Newman Center. Community is lived out through Welcome Week, Homecoming Newman Games, Community Nights, Formals, Night Fever, Intramural Sports, Choirs, Greek outreach, and the annual Barn Party. Conversion is supported by the rich sacramental schedule of daily and Sunday Mass, weekly Confession, and roughly 60 hours of Adoration. Build encompasses formation of the mind through the Newman Institute's for-credit and free classes, Bible studies, mini courses, spiritual accompaniment, counseling, and the Newman Board student leadership team.
- Move-In Week, Welcome Week, Homecoming Newman Games
- Community Nights, Formals, Night Fever
- Intramural Sports, Choirs, FOCUS Greek, Barn Party
- Daily Mass, Sunday Mass, Adoration, Confession
- OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
- Bible Studies, Mini Courses, Spiritual Accompaniment, Counseling
- For-Credit and Free Classes via the Newman Institute
- Newman Board (student leadership)
Mission: Send and Forge
The final two stages of the path push students outward in mission and deepen them as witnesses to Christ. Send includes Mission Trips, Volunteering, the Knights of Columbus and Altar Society, Street Teams, FOCUS Discipleship Pilgrimages, and the Cenacle Retreat. Forge gathers students into the most formative experiences of their college years — Silent Retreat, Witness to Love (engagement), and Seminary & Religious Discernment Retreats — that have made the Newman Center well known for fostering priestly and religious vocations.
- Mission Trips & Volunteering
- Knights of Columbus and Altar Society
- Street Teams
- FOCUS Discipleship Pilgrimages
- Cenacle Retreat
- Silent Retreat
- Witness to Love
- Seminary & Religious Discernment Retreats
FOCUS Missionaries on Campus
Eleven FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionaries live and serve among UNL students each year under FOCUS Team Director Anders Peterson. They meet students in friendship, lead Bible studies, host outreach events, run mission trips, and provide everyday spiritual accompaniment, inviting college students into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and helping them pursue lives of virtue and excellence.
- Anders Peterson — FOCUS Team Director
- Jake & Brenda Wieneke (with Israel, Colette, Felicity) — Veteran missionaries
- Julia Johnson — Assistant Team Director & Veteran Greek Missionary
- Joey Culp — FOCUS Greek Missionary
- Luke Farmer — Second Year Missionary
- Morgan Oliver — Second Year Missionary
- Katie Williams — FOCUS Greek Missionary
- Johann Mohnen — First Year Missionary
- Jacob Wieneke — Varsity Catholic Missionary
- Jacque Blessum — Third Year Missionary
- Leah Manning — Varsity Catholic Missionary
Newman Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture
The Newman Institute is the parish's academic arm, offering both for-credit and free Catholic courses at the university level. Directed by Patrick Callahan, it features adjunct teaching from diocesan priests including Fr. Matthew Rolling and Fr. James Morin, complementing the rest of the parish's spiritual formation with intellectual formation in the Catholic intellectual tradition.
- For-credit and free classes
- Directed by Patrick Callahan
- Adjunct faculty: Fr. Matthew Rolling, Fr. James Morin
- Intellectual formation complementing spiritual and apostolic formation
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA — formerly RCIA) at the Newman Center forms students seeking to enter the Catholic Church or to be received into full communion, walking with them through the catechumenate and the Easter sacraments. OCIA is explicitly listed among the parish's growth-driving ministries.
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Catechumenate and reception into full communion
- Coordinated through the parish / Becoming Catholic page
Music, Liturgy, and Weddings
Liturgical music at the parish is led by John Kanel, Director of Music and Special Projects, with support from the Newman Center Choirs. Weddings are coordinated through a parish Wedding Coordinator (currently listed as both Marcus Schneider and Emma Breitfelder across parish publications), with contact via [email protected]. The Sunday 12:00 PM Mass is offered without music to serve students who prefer a simpler liturgy.
- Director of Music & Special Projects: John Kanel
- Newman Center Choirs
- Wedding Coordinator ([email protected])
- Sunday 12:00 PM Mass celebrated without music
Giving and Development
As a student parish whose Sunday collection averages less than $1,000 per week, the Newman Center depends heavily on alumni, parents, and benefactors for roughly 86% of its funding. The development office, led by Drew Hines (Director of Development) and Jude Werner (Senior Director of Major & Planned Gifts), supports giving through cash donations, Donor-Advised Funds, Qualified Charitable Distributions, Charitable Lead Trusts, Charitable Remainder Trusts, charitable bequests, and life insurance gifts. The parish's IRS tax ID is 47-0464308.
- Drew Hines, CFRE — Director of Development (402-890-2625)
- Jude Werner, CFRE — Senior Director of Major & Planned Gifts (402-770-1509)
- HuskerCatholic LIVE! Phone-A-Thon
- Mug Club Golf and other annual fundraisers
- DAFs, QCDs, CRTs, CLTs, bequests, life insurance gifts
- Tax ID 47-0464308
Visit, Tours, and Contact
The parish invites visitors to drop by or to schedule a tour (available when students are staffing the front desk, generally 1–9 PM Monday–Thursday and 1–5 PM Fridays). The parish front office can be reached at 402-474-7914, with email contact through the huskercatholic.com domain.
- Address: 320 N 16th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508
- Phone: 402-474-7914
- Tour scheduling during the school year
- On-site at the corner of 16th and Q Streets on UNL campus