About University Catholic Center · Austin, Texas
The University Catholic Center (UCC) is the Roman Catholic campus ministry serving students at the University of Texas at Austin, located at 2010 University Avenue directly across from the Littlefield Fountain. Founded in 1908 as the Newman Club by the Paulist Fathers at St. Austin's Parish, the center offers daily and Sunday Mass (including a weekly Mass in Spanish), Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, Bible studies, retreats, mission trips, and a robust service ministry serving homeless and food-insecure neighbors in Austin. Its mission, drawn from John 8:32 — 'Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free' — is to help UT students encounter Jesus Christ through prayer, intellectual formation, and authentic community.
- Established
- 1908
- Rector
- Rev. Fernando Ricaud Cavazos (Chaplain/Rector, effective July 6, 2026)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Austin
Why belong here
The UCC is built around the rhythms of UT student life — three Sunday Masses (one in Spanish), daily noon Mass, weekday Reconciliation, ongoing Eucharistic Adoration, and 50+ weekly Bible studies — but its depth goes well beyond a schedule. Six full-time FOCUS missionaries, a robust small-group ministry including a dedicated freshman track through John 15, the student-led Longhorn Catholic Council, and formation in spiritual direction with multiple trained directors make it a place where students genuinely grow as disciples. The center also pairs prayer with hands-on service through Mobile Loaves and Fishes, Community First! Village, the JPII Life Center, Trotter House, and the on-campus UT Outpost food pantry, giving students a concrete way to live the Gospel in Austin.
Mass times at University Catholic Center
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday (School Year): 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Wednesday (Summer): 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Thursday (School Year): 11:30 AM – 12:25 PM and 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Thursday (Summer): 11:30 AM – 12:25 PM
- Friday (School Year): 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel: anytime the building is open
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Holy Spirit Chapel: Thursday 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Our Story & Heritage
The University Catholic Center has served Catholic students at the University of Texas at Austin continuously since 1908. Bishop N. A. Gallagher of Galveston invited the Paulist Fathers that year to found a third Austin parish and to take particular care of Catholic students at the State University. From a small chapel dedicated in 1908–1909, through the Newman Club of 1915 and Newman Hall (a UT-area residence for Catholic women built by the Dominican Sisters of Houston in 1917), the ministry grew alongside the university itself. A new Catholic Student Center was dedicated in 1965 at the corner of 21st and University, then gutted and rebuilt, reopening in 2002 as today's UCC. In 2020, after 112 years of Paulist leadership, Bishop Joe Vásquez announced that diocesan priests would assume leadership of the center.
- 1908 – Founding of the Newman Club by the Paulist Fathers at St. Austin's Parish
- 1913 – Construction of the first campus ministry building
- 1917 – Newman Hall built by the Dominican Sisters of Houston
- 1965 – New Catholic Student Center dedicated at 2010 University Ave.
- 2002 – Building gutted and reconstructed, reopening as the University Catholic Center
- 2020 – Diocese of Austin assumes leadership from the Paulist Fathers
FOCUS Missionary Program
The UCC hosts six full-time FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionaries whose stated mission is to 'Know Christ Jesus and Fulfill His Great Commission.' They lead over 50 weekly student- and missionary-led Bible studies — for freshmen through graduate students — and coordinate outreach events, retreats, conferences, and deeper prayer opportunities including the daily morning rosary and Holy Hour. Beyond Bible study, students can enter intentional 'growing discipleship' with weekly meetings focused on prayer and lived experience of the sacraments.
- 6 full-time Catholic missionaries on staff
- 50+ weekly Bible studies (freshmen through grad students)
- Sunday pancake breakfasts at the missionary house
- Live music and outreach events
- Discipleship track beyond Bible study
Small Groups & Bible Studies
Small-group ministry at the UCC meets students where they are. John 15 is a freshman outreach ministry with co-ed small groups, weekly hangouts, praise and worship, and guest speakers journeying through the 15th chapter of John's Gospel. FOCUS runs the broader sweep of men's and women's Bible studies. A dedicated graduate-student Bible study meets Tuesday nights at 6:30 PM in the UCC's St. Matthew room, praying lectio divina on the upcoming Sunday Mass readings.
- John 15 freshman small groups
- FOCUS men's and women's Bible studies
- Graduate student Bible study (Tuesdays 6:30 PM, St. Matthew room)
- Lectio divina on Sunday Mass readings
Longhorn Catholic Council (Student Leadership)
The Longhorn Catholic Council (LCC) is the student governing body of the UCC and a registered UT student organization. It exists to help every member of the UCC feel welcomed and engaged, working through four committees — Faith Formation, Social Events, Student Outreach, and Communications — to serve the wider community and help members grow closer to Christ and to one another.
- Faith Formation Committee
- Social Events Committee
- Student Outreach Committee
- Communications Committee
- LCC President (recent: Nanaafiia Adjei)
Service & Outreach
Service is central to UCC life. Students encounter Christ in the poor and marginalized through long-standing local partnerships and international mission trips. Recurring weekly and monthly commitments pair easily with students' class schedules, while larger mission trips during winter and spring breaks form students through extended service and prayer.
- Mobile Loaves and Fishes truck ministry (1st & 3rd Fridays, 4:45–7:15 PM)
- Community First! Village weekly visits
- Picnic at the Park (monthly potluck downtown)
- JPII Life Center monthly service
- Trotter House (1st Saturday of the month)
- UT Outpost on-campus food pantry (collection bins in the Atrium and basement; 2,100+ lbs collected to date)
- Austin Caritas Winter Mission (5-day local service mission)
- Annual Honduras mission trip with Missioners of Christ (Diocese of Comayagua)
Spiritual Direction & Vocations
Spiritual direction is offered through the UCC's ancient-rooted practice of accompaniment: regular one-on-one conversations with an experienced director to help connect life's experience with Catholic spiritual practices and to discern vocation. The center trains and vets its directors and also periodically hosts outside spiritual directors vetted by the Diocese of Austin.
- Spiritual direction with Fr. Jonathan Raia
- Spiritual direction with Fr. Andrew Dinh
- Spiritual direction with Jocelyn Perez
- Spiritual direction with Br. Rob Clark, FMS
- Vocation discernment resources
Staff & Leadership
Leadership of the UCC transitioned in summer 2026. Fr. Jonathan Raia, who had served as Chaplain/Director since 2020, was reassigned as Pastor of St. Helen Parish in Georgetown, and Rev. Fernando Ricaud Cavazos was named the new Chaplain/Rector, effective July 6, 2026. Fr. Fernando is a UT alumnus (Class of 2014, Computer Science) who first discerned his vocation at the UCC and served his first year as a priest (2022–23) on the UCC staff.
- Chaplain/Rector: Rev. Fernando Ricaud Cavazos (effective July 6, 2026)
- Fr. Jonathan Raia — reassigned to St. Helen Parish, Georgetown
- Fr. Andrew Dinh
- Br. Rob Clark, FMS — Campus Minister
- Jocelyn Perez — spiritual direction / outreach
- Jennifer Salinas — Campus Minister (missions)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Jonathan Raia2020–July 2026
Returned to his alma mater as Chaplain/Director in 2020; reassigned in summer 2026 to be Pastor of St. Helen Parish in Georgetown.
- Rev. Fernando Ricaud CavazosEffective July 6, 2026
UT Class of 2014 (Computer Science); served his first year as a priest (2022–23) at the UCC; appointed by Bishop Daniel E. Garcia as Chaplain/Rector.
- Paulist Fathers1908–2020
The Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle staffed the campus ministry for 112 years, from the founding of the Newman Club until the Diocese of Austin assumed leadership.