What Catholic or secular college would you suggest with a good Newman Center?

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My oldest daughter is going to start looking at colleges next year and I would like to know what colleges have strong Newman Centers.
What Catholic colleges are teaching the Catholic faith in communion with the Magisterium? Not just Catholic in name. Any public universities that have a faithful, engaging Newman Center you would recommend? Any Catholic colleges you might stir clear of?
 
These Catholic colleges, to the best of my knowledge and those of my highly orthodox friends (from all around the country, some of whom have attended these schools), represent the best higher Catholic education to be received in the US/Canada. They are well-known in the Catholic community for solid theology, formation and social aspects. Very home-school friendly.
Ave Maria College
300 W. Forest Avenue
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(877) 285-9072

Ave Maria University
1025 Common Circle
Naples, FL 34119
Toll Free: (877) 283-8648

Benedictine College
1020 North Second Street
Atchison, KS 66002
913-367-5340

Campion College of San Francisco
2515 McAlister Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
(414) 387-2324.

Christendom College
134 Christendom Drive
Front Royal, VA 22630
(800) 877-5456

Franciscan University of Steubenville
1235 University Boulevard
Steubenville, OH 43952-1763
(800) 783-6220

*****In 1989 Franciscan University of Steubenville became the first Catholic university in the United States to administer the Oath of Fidelity, professing adherence to the teaching authority of the Church.
Magdalen College
511 Kearsarge Mountain Road
Warner, NH 03278
(603) 456-2656

Our Lady of Corpus Christi
1200 Lantana
Corpus Christi, TX 78469
(361) 289-9095

Redeemer Pacific College
7720 Glover Road
Lagnley, BC V2Y 1Y1
CANADA
(604) 888-7727
Thomas Aquinas College
10000 North Ojai Road
Santa Paula, CA 93060
(800) 634-9797

Thomas More College of Liberal Arts
6 Manchester Street
Merrimack, NH 03054
(603) 880-8308

to be continued…
 
As for a solid Catholic student center in a public school, one of the leading universities is the University of Kansas at Lawrence (in Lawrence, KS). ( ku.edu )The St. Lawrence Center ( st-lawrence.org )is nationally known for the model they use in ministering to the needs of their students. They have spiritual direction available from the sisters of the Apostles of the Interior Life (a relatively new order from Rome, founded in 1987). They offer certification courses taught (by PhD-in-theology-staff-members) in a very friendly yet faithful way that FULLY catechize students (sexual morality, the liturgy, the gospels, old testament, etc…the list goes on). They are so organized and FAITHFUL that within two years, they will be offering an accredited program that partners with the Pontifical University in Rome–allowing students to receive their masters degree in theology from Rome but on the Kansas campus. (This is still in development and not being advertised, but it’s true.) The St. Lawrence Center is ALSO partnering with KU to enlist a faithful Catholic professor to go on staff at the university and begin teaching true doctrine–as opposed to the **** that a lot of public universities offer in their “unbiased” judgement of Catholic teaching. Furthermore, they have SUCH a huuuuuuge group of faithful students who participate in social events and community service together. It’s a great place! 🙂

Hope this helps,
Abby
 
As far as public schools go, I think one good indicator is the presence of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) at the Newman Center. FOCUS has a great reputation.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a great Newman Center, and an awesome Bishop.
 
Wow, I am so impressed with the great information. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

So now I have a few more questions…Are you saying most Catholic colleges/universites do NOT require the professors of religion and theology to sign an Oath of Fidelity? What about other fields of expertise like science, language, business etc, ? This is a very scary thought! No wonder I hear so many stories about heretical teachings at our colleges. I thought ( yes, there I go again) that it was the norm to require a “pledge to uphold the faith” when you taught Cathlolic theology/religion at a Catholic School now matter what level, elementary through college!

This is a very scary thought when you start to think about college for your first child. My first choice for her would be a good Catholic colege. BUT I would rather her go to a public school with a good Newman center than a heretical Catholic school. She has a friend (non Cathlolic- Jewish in fact) going to Universtiy of San Diego next year and the friend is saying “it is not really Catholic”?!? This scares me.
 
I would certainly avoid Georgetown University, Boston College and Holy Cross. Catholic University has improved a great deal as far as being Catholic and adhering to the Magisterium. If anyone wants to come to West Virginia, Marshall University has a wonderful, orthodox priest assigned to the Catholic students. Another good choice would be Christendom Colege in Virginia.
 
My alma mater was Marquette University. They have been sending me alumni magazines bragging about giving awards to Martin Sheen and hosting the democrat debates. Martin Sheen and all the democrat candidates are flaming pro-abortion liberals. Sadly, I would not recommend Marquette if you want a “Catholic” education. If I were to choose a school today I would seriously consider one of the Ave Maria schools.
 
The Ryan Catholic Newman Center serves the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. It is staffed by priests of the congregation of the Oratory founded by St. Philip Neri and the Order of which Cardinal Newman was a member.

The 5 priests are absolutely awesome! They are faithful to Church teaching and this congregation has been a blessing to several religious orders(male and female) by directing vocations in their direction.
 
Magnolia–

The Oath of Fidelity is extremely rare. Many “Catholic” colleges want to give their staff the “academic freedom” to pursue and teach according to their own research and personal opinion–as long as they supposedly clarify their opinion vs. Church teaching. Which–from personal experience, does not always happen.

The National Catholic Register reports that only 12 of the 235 Catholic institutions of higher learning (in the United States) are faithful to Church teaching. The list of these faithful (meaning schools with professors who have mandatums) is on www.ncregister.com . Be careful though–not EVERY school makes clear which professors have mandatums and which don’t. Which means your daughter could still end up taking courses from dissenters.

I really suggest you read this article. It clarifies for you what a mandatum is AND which colleges are being faithful to the Pope–as well as which schools are using the mandatum to protect dissenters. It discusses which schools are openly sharing which professors are faithful (possessing a mandatum) and which aren’t.
ncregister.com/features/mandatum/7steubenville.htm

Also, whoever mentioned FOCUS–excellent point!

🙂
 
I understand that University of Colorado at Boulder has a surprisingly solid Catholic center, surrounded by hippies. I mean lots of vocations, orthodox teachings, praise and worship, just a lot of people on fire for Jesus. And the BEST archbishop
 
I’m not sure why you’re looking for a college/university with a Newman centre in particular. There is one on our campus here at the University of Toronto and it is horrendous!!!

I swear, anytime I attend a mass there I feel like I walked into the twilight zone. Faithfully catholic, no way. Be careful, Newman Centre does not necessarily equal faithful.

Pax Christi
 
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nfpworks:
The Ryan Catholic Newman Center serves the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. It is staffed by priests of the congregation of the Oratory founded by St. Philip Neri and the Order of which Cardinal Newman was a member.

The 5 priests are absolutely awesome! They are faithful to Church teaching and this congregation has been a blessing to several religious orders(male and female) by directing vocations in their direction.
Click to expand...
I agree with the above assessment of the Pitt/CMU Newman center. As a Pitt grad, I would only caution that the actually universities themselves are notoriously liberal and anti-Catholic.
There are some great students there and the Oratory is great but if you are going to go to Pitt or CMU be ready for a fight.

Also, if you are interested in which Catholic colleges NOT to attend visit the webpage of the Cardinal Newman Society. They are a watchdog group and they report on the insaness going on on so-called Catholic campuses.

cardinalnewmansociety.org/
 
Amazing Newman community at the Universtiy of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. FOCUS, spiritual direction, orthodox homilies, amazing liturgies, over 200 daily communicants, retreats, bible studies, beautiful chapel, great bishop, wonderful pastor (Msgr. Stuart Swetland) and a great Newman Hall dormitory attached to the church . . . check it out.
 
Thanks to all who have responded with a wealth of information. It is so hard in this politically correct society to get a straight answer. My thoughts on wanting the school to have a good (not just a physical) Newman Center is that it would provide a place of refuge for her to discuss issues with Catholic students and faithful priests. I understand that she will be exposed to antiCatholic/Christian professors but I think it is harder to discern the truth when it is under the banner of a “Catholic” school. How often do I hear someone say “well the priest told me…”
 
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jp2fan:
I understand that University of Colorado at Boulder has a surprisingly solid Catholic center, surrounded by hippies. I mean lots of vocations, orthodox teachings, praise and worship, just a lot of people on fire for Jesus. And the BEST archbishop
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Exactly like Gonzaga (www.gonzaga.edu) . It’s gotten such a bad rap for being a liberal Catholic college in the 60’s (and there are still a number of liberals hanging around the area and going to school there) but Fr. Spitzer has done a marvelous job of reclaiming that college for Christ, let me tell ya. The Newman-Stein fellowship at Gonzaga is just a great bunch of people. Most of the leadership roles are handled by our seminarians, and there is constant communication between the fellowship and the local parish priests, who often come in and give absolutely stellar (not to mention Orthodox!) lectures. Occaisionally they have been blessed by visits from famous EWTN personae. It was an amazing group of people to hang out with as I began and completed my journey home to Rome.
 
My daughter attends Boston College and we are very happy with it. Sure, there are the annoying liberal things that go on, and that pesky church scandal where she was in the midst of Cardinal Law’s removal…but seriously, there are some very good and decent Catholic people there who are on the staff.
 
Texas A&M has a great Catholic Student Union. Lots of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. I have 2 FUS grads., it is good but don’t fall for the illusion of it being perfect…lots of immoral stuff goes on there. Another child of mine couldn’t stand the hypocrisy of so many at FUS, he transferred and is a great witness in a secular school now. FOCUS is a good indicator, but in the end your child needs to desire and seek out their own spiritual life on whatever campus they are on. I have one entering UT, a very liberal school, she plans to seek out friends a the student union.
 
I’m an alum of Franciscan U so I’m partial to the school. No, it’s not perfect, but NO Catholic college (or Newman center students) are going to be 100% perfect in their student body - we are human, after all. The great part is that MOST of the students are devoutly Catholic and the encouragement is to do the right, Christ-like thing. 🙂 Sure, there’s your usual bad stuff, but most of it is off-campus and definitely in the minority.

Now, for secular colleges, I second University of Illinois - Champaign-Urbana. Their Newman Center even has a Catholic dorm! 👍 And of course, a great Catholic friend of mine’s uncle is the priest (or one of the priests - not sure which) at the NC. 🙂
 
An excellent small all womens school:
College of St Benedict - St Joseph MN they share classes with St. Johns University at Collegeville.

My daughter will be a third year student this fall and just loves it.
 
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