As our campus ministry continues to grow and reach more students than ever before, sustaining this growth requires intentional investment in key areas - especially in the celebration of sublime liturgies, a vibrant and inspiring music ministry and the joyful witness of religious sisters.

A Vision
for Beauty

Sunday and weekday Masses remain the most transformative and wide-reaching aspect of the Newman Center, and we strive to ensure that their earthly celebration always reflects the eternal reality of the liturgy.
I. INVESTING IN MISSION
Retiring a Loan Unlocks Generations of Ministry.

This simple act of retiring the outstanding mortgage will produce lasting dividends; supporting the formation of future Catholic leaders while creating a stable and enduring stream of income for the mission of the Newman Center - for years and even generations to come.

To sustain our growing ministries and ensure long-term financial stability, the Newman Center has long prioritized income diversification. A key example of this vision is the establishment of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity in 2005, with a twofold mission: to form young mes as future leaders in the Church and society, and to support the Newman Center's ongoing ministry.

In 2012, the Newman Center built a fraternity chapter house and has since served as its landlord, generating consistent, moderate income. With over a decade of full occupancy, the chapter has proven a reliable source of support. As the construction mortgage has gradually decreased, the Newman Center currently receives $100,000 annually in rental income.

Our top financial priority is now the retirement of an $875,000 mortgage balloon payment. One repaid, annual rental income will increase to $350,000 - an impressive return on investment that will significantly ease the Newman Center's ministry funding pressures. 
II. ENDOWING DISCIPLESHIP
Securing FOCUS at UNL

Apart from Sunday Mass, the FOCUS missionary program is the most broadly impactful ministry in the Newman Center's 120-year history. This year alone, over 1,000 students have participated in Bible studies, with record numbers of student leaders preparing to serve next year. Since FOCUS arrive at UNL in 1999, more than 200 Newman Center graduates have become missionaries on campuses nationwide.

With FOCUS at UNL, Catholic ministry in Nebraska, and beyond, would be significantly less impactful. A team of ten missionaries currently serve our students at a direct cost of $168,000 annually, with an additional $32,000 needed for ministry resources and SEEK scholarships, totally $200,000.

Our second financial priority is to fully endow the FOCUS program at UNL. A $5 million endowment with a 4% annual distribution would permanently fund the program, securing its future for generations.

We have launched a first-in-the-nation partnership with the FOCUS Mission Foundation to manage the fund, ensuring strong stewardship while supporting FOCUS nationally. Endowment contributions may be designated for FOCUS affinity groups like Varsity Catholic and FOCUS Greek, allowing donors to invest in the area they care about most. 
Give Boldly

III. Nazareth House

A Convent at UNL

The need for spiritual motherhood on the college campus is real and ever-growing. Women religious point us all toward heaven and offer a deeper encounter with Mary and the Church's motherly care through the power of their vows, their prayer, and their joyful sacrifice.  

The Newman Center at UNL is poised to embark upon an exciting journey to bring full-time women religious to our campus and build a convent at 640 N. 16th Street in the heart of Greek Row.

Our third priority includes a preliminary project budget of $5.125 million to construct a convent on property we already own, positioning the Newman Center to make a lasting investment in the spiritual lives of our students. The Nazareth house will be a place of encounter, prayer, and refuge for students right in the middle of campus, providing a space to experience the love of Our Mother. 

IV. Additional Parking

Paving the way for continued growth.

Expanding parking supports growing Mass attendance, weddings, and ministry programs, improving access and accommodating continued campus engagement growth. 

A unified vision for lasting impact

These four priorities are not independent efforts, but a unified and strategic vision for the future of Catholic campus ministry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 
  • Debt retirement strengthens the foundations. 
  • The FOCUS Endowment secures missionary presence for generations. 
  • The Nazareth House deepens the spiritual life of campus through the presence of women religious. 
 Together, they forma cohesive ministry and fiscal plan that ensures both immediate impact and lasting growth
Contributions to this special initiative will be allocated across all four priorities, allow each gift to advance the full vision and mission of the Newman Center.
Give Boldly. Invest Eternally.