About St. Thomas More Newman Center · Vermillion, South Dakota
St. Thomas More Newman Center is the Catholic parish and campus ministry serving the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota. Founded in 1964, it operates under the Diocese of Sioux Falls and ministers primarily to college students, helping them encounter Christ's love through the sacraments, faith formation, and community life. The center is open 24 hours and includes a chapel housing the Blessed Sacrament, alongside space to pray, study, and gather. Its mission is supported by a small staff of priests and lay ministers, FOCUS missionaries, and a student advisory board called NCAC.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- St. Thomas More
- Rector
- Reverend Terence Anderson (Pastor, per Diocese of Sioux Falls)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux Falls
Why belong here
St. Thomas More Newman Center welcomes every USD student — and Vermillion community member — into a vibrant Catholic community built around the sacraments, formation, and friendship. Daily and Sunday Mass, an always-open chapel with the Blessed Sacrament, weekly Dollar Dinners, an OCIA process for those becoming Catholic, and student-led liturgy ministries give concrete ways to encounter Christ during the college years. With FOCUS missionaries on site and an active student advisory council, the Center offers a ready-made place to pray, study, serve, and belong.
Mass times at St. Thomas More Newman Center
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Chapel with the Blessed Sacrament open 24 hours (specific adoration times not published on the official site)
About St. Thomas More Newman Center
St. Thomas More Newman Center is the Catholic Church and campus ministry of the University of South Dakota, located at 320 E Cherry St in Vermillion. Founded in 1964 and part of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, the Center exists to help USD students encounter Christ's love and grow into the people they were created to be. The Center's community life is built around the sacraments, faith formation, and weekly fellowship.
- Patron: St. Thomas More
- Diocese: Sioux Falls
- Founded: 1964
- Type: College/University Parish (Newman Center)
Mission and History
Since 1964 the USD Newman Center has played an essential role in the lives of young adults. Its mission is to help students know Christ and make Him known — through sacraments, faith formation, and activities — and alumni continue to support that work long after graduation. The current Priest Director, Father John Rutten, was ordained in 2012 and rejoined the Center after parish ministry at Sacred Heart in Yankton, seeing his role as the next link in a long line of priests guiding this 60-year-old mission.
- Active since 1964 — nearly six decades of ministry to USD
- Mission: encounter Christ's love, grow in faith, and form authentic friendships
- Succeeding generations of students serve in parishes, organizations, and family life
Mass and Sacraments
The Center celebrates Sunday Mass at 9:30 AM and 7:30 PM, and weekday Mass Monday through Thursday at 5:15 PM. The chapel with the Blessed Sacrament is accessible 24 hours a day for prayer and adoration. No sacraments are celebrated during summer break, while the main office remains open weekdays from 8 AM to 5 PM.
- Sunday: 9:30 AM & 7:30 PM
- Monday–Thursday: 5:15 PM
- Blessed Sacrament chapel: open 24 hours
Becoming Catholic — OCIA
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) at the Newman Center meets every Tuesday from 7:30 to 9:00 PM in Newman Hall and is open to anyone exploring the Catholic faith. Participants learn Church teaching, grow in relationship with Jesus Christ, and prepare for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Each spring the Center welcomes more than 30 confirmands at the OCIA Confirmation Mass.
- Meets Tuesdays 7:30–9:00 PM in Newman Hall
- Covers Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
- Contact: [email protected]
Get Involved — Student Life and Service
Student life at the Newman Center runs through weekly events, formation, and service. The flagship Dollar Dinner gathers up to 200 students every Thursday at 6:00 PM for a homecooked meal served for $1 — coordinated by staff, FOCUS missionaries, and student volunteers. The Center also recruits a vibrant liturgy volunteer team every semester and supports student-led outreach.
- Dollar Dinner — Thursdays, 6:00 PM
- Liturgy volunteers — lectors, cantors/instrumentalists/choir, altar servers, EMHC
- FOCUS Missionaries on staff
- NCAC (Newman Center Advisory Council) student board
Newman Center Advisory Council (NCAC)
The NCAC is a Christ-centered student advisory board dedicated to the service, improvement, and expansion of the Newman Center community. Its committees — Events, Hospitality, Liturgy, Marketing, and Outreach — are coordinated by an Executive Team (Committee Heads, Secretary, President, and Campus Minister) that meets monthly.
- Committees: Events, Hospitality, Liturgy, Marketing, Outreach
- Executive Team meets once a month
- Open to any USD student seeking leadership in the Catholic community
Staff and Leadership
The Newman Center is led by Father John Rutten, Priest Director, alongside diocesan Pastor Reverend Terence Anderson. Lay staff support campus ministry, administration, development, and operations — bringing together ministry, business, and student support roles under one roof.
- Father John Rutten — Priest Director
- Reverend Terence Anderson — Pastor (Diocese of Sioux Falls listing)
- Peggy Wittmeier — Business Manager
- Tyler Kozeal — Campus Ministry Associate
- Alexis Moran — Campus Ministry Assistant
- Sam Carlson — Building (custodial/maintenance)
- Office Assistant (Taylor) — part-time
- Director of Development — full-time
- Data & Donor Relations Specialist
Support the Newman Center
Alumni and friends sustain the Center's nearly 60-year-old mission to help students encounter Christ. The Center maintains a dedicated Development staff and Data & Donor Relations role to steward gifts that fund staff, scholarships, the Dollar Dinner, and chapel life.
- Director of Development and Data & Donor Relations Specialist on staff
- Donations support student ministry and operations
Connect and Social Media
Homilies from Father John Rutten are published as a podcast on Spotify, and the Center shares news and media across Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr under the 'Coyote Catholic' brand. These channels keep students and alumni connected to the Center's life beyond Sunday Mass.
- Facebook — USD Saint Thomas More Newman Center
- YouTube — Coyote Catholic
- Spotify — Homilies with Fr John Rutten
- Flickr — Coyote Catholic
Visit and Contact
The Newman Center is located at 320 E Cherry St, Vermillion, SD 57069-1339, on the USD campus. The office can be reached at (605) 624-2697 or [email protected], and the main office keeps 8 AM – 5 PM weekday hours during summer when sacraments are not celebrated.
- Address: 320 E Cherry St, Vermillion, SD 57069-1339
- Phone: (605) 624-2697
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours (summer): M–F 8 AM – 5 PM