& The
Newman Center
St. Agatha - St. James
Welcoming 30+ New Catholics
Becoming a Missionary Hub Students & Alumni on Mission
“The Church which ‘goes forth’ is a community of missionary disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear fruit and rejoice. An evangelizing community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first, and therefore we can move forward boldly.” Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium
Many Blessings to All This Lent & Spring Season!
We feel so blessed here at the Newman Center, as our ministry is thriving We are only in our second year of our 5-year Strategic Plan, and we have already far surpassed our ministry goals. There are more students engaged in Sunday Mass, weekly Bible study, and leading their peers than ever before
As God has been so good to us, we give him thanks & we feel even more inspired to continue our vision to be “A Church that goes out.”
Additionally, we have been blessed by the extreme generosity of you, our supporters! Newman alumni, parents, and friends have already helped us increase our annual fundraising by 67% over the last two years We continue towards our goal of making the Newman Center growth sustainable in the long-term.
Both Pope Francis & Archbishop Nelson Perez have launched bold plans to reinvigorate the Church, and the Newman Center is becoming a model and key participant in these efforts
CONTENTS
encounter-p.3
EncounteringtheChurch throughOCIA
GrowthinMassattendance ourbiggestAshWednesday! grow-p.4
Agrowingmovementof disciples
Thank you for helping making this a reality! Your prayers and financial support are helping to transform the culture on our college campuses We need your help to continue reaching hundreds of students and helping them discover the love of God in their lives
May God Bless You!
PATRICKTRAVERS
NewmanDirector ptravers@saintsaj org
FR REMIMORALES
Pastor & Newman Chaplain rmorales@saintsaj org
UpperRoomequippingstudent leadersformission serve-p.5
Studentsleadingtheirpeers Becomingamissionaryhub withintheArchdiocese sustain-p.6-7
Alumnionmission
Acommunityofgivers
first enc
Weareblessedtohaveaclassof40youngpeopleinthisyear’sOCIAformationprogram!Thesecandidateswill becomeCatholicorcompletetheirsacramentsthisEaster,andit’sbeenamazingtoseeGod’sworkineachofthem. thisyear’sociaclasswelcomes40participants
There has been a growing movement of young people showing up at Newman, who are seeking the Lord, especially through the Catholic Church We’re amazed on Sunday at how many non-Catholics come to Mass, sometimes brought by their friends, and sometimes on their own initiative Over the past several years, we have seen our OCIA program grow from an average of ten to fifteen people each year to now nearly forty People come from many different backgrounds, but there is a common theme: a search for God Our program leaders, Alan El Haj and Lisa Eshleman, spend countless hours in and outside of the classroom answering participants’ many questions
new for some time that I wanted to ore faith, which led m wman Center at Penn I n I was most in need o dance, I’m thankful tha the Newman commu k Coming to Penn has ependence to pursue fa munity of my peers T ders behind the faith fo A program at the New of their way to answer stions we may have ab holicism We have a div ng adults, and I am so eceiving the Sacramen icipating in the life of
Ash Wednesday
Lent is a great time of renewal for the Church, and for the Newman Center as well! On Ash Wednesday over 1,600 people attended Mass. Throughout Lent, we offer many ways for our students and young people to have a renewed encounter with their faith, and we see renewed participation in small groups and weekly prayer opportunities
“As I finish my junior year, I can attest that the college experience amplifies the temptations and distractions of the world. OCIA has allowed me to take time out of the week to focus on what actually matters (i.e. God’s plan for the eternal salvation of humanity) by learning about Catholic beliefs, reading Scripture, and attending Adoration It has strengthened both my personal faith and my intellectual understanding of Church teaching The Easter Vigil will mark the most important day and moment of my life; there is nothing more exciting than becoming a member of the Body of Christ, having sins washed away, and receiving the Blessed Sacrament It truly is a rebirth and one for which I am forever grateful ”
Spring Retreat
At the beginning of March we held our annual Penn-Drexel Spring Retreat, which was attended by over 75 students from both schools. It was a great weekend of coming together for prayer, talks, and fellowship in the outdoors Retreat is always a powerful moment for all grade levels and faith experience levels to come together and encounter Christ in community
MilesEby PennFreshman
CarterNipper PennJunior
agrowingmovementofdisciples
AcrosstheNewmancommunity,over130studentsparticipateinourprogramofmissionarydiscipleship.Asstudentsget involvedanddeepentheirfaithlife,theycanchoosetojoindiscipleshipgroupswheretheyarementoredbymissionaries inprayer,formation,andevangelization.ManyofthesestudentschoosetogoontoleadtheirownBiblestudiesand sharetheirfaithoutoncampus.FOCUSmissionaryTimBroderickleadsseveralofthesediscipleshipgroupsamongthe Pennstudents.HerehesharesabouthisexperiencewithanewgroupofdisciplesfromthePennLacrosseTeam.
“This Spring Semester, I have begun to walk with five men from the Penn Lacrosse Team in a missionary discipleship group These young men were motivated to join for a variety of reasons. In our discipleship group we have been working on establishing the four pillars of the Christian life, as defined in the Catechism and in the book of Acts “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread (the sacraments) and to the prayers ” (Acts 2:42) In our two months of meeting together, we ’ ve covered the two pillars of prayer and communal life/friendship The men have built a strong habit of praying daily with the scriptures, in which they send a brief daily reflection of their prayer to each other every day for accountability They have also committed to going to Mass together each Sunday at 5:30pm Please consider praying for these men as they grow in the pillars of the sacraments and the apostles' teachings to close out the year ”
“Being on the team for over a year now, I’ve begun to realize the need to have real conversationaboutrealthings When I realized discipleship was a place where we could not only have these types of real conversations, but put them into practice daily, I knew God had heard my prayers ”
DavisProvost,PennSophomore
- Tim Broderick, FOCUS Team Director
“I was convicted to join discipleship because I know these four years are the most flexible my life will ever be I know how important it is to establish healthy habits as a lacrosse player, and I want to take these years to be the time where I build up the habits of Christian discipleship for the rest of my life ”
PaulVanBastelaar,PennFreshman
Our Penn and Drexel missionary teams host a monthly gathering called Upper Room where they meet with students who are in our discipleship program to pray together, offer formation, and equip them to lead Bible studies and share the Gospel with their peers on campus. In February all of our FOCUS missionaries teamed up to host a combined Upper Room with students from both schools, and it was an amazing night! Over 90 student leaders gathered to hear guest speaker, Fr. Philip Bochanski from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, give a talk about living virtuously in the current culture. We are so blessed to have our missionaries walking with and investing in so many awesome students!
peer leadership: multiplying the mission
“WhenIfirstarrivedatPenn,IneverwouldhaveguessedthatIwouldbeparticipating inaweeklyBibleStudy—letaloneleadingoneofmyown However, after making friends at the Newman Center and becoming more involved, I began to realize the importance of developing a personal relationship with Jesus Afterayearof experiencingprofoundjoyabidinginHim,Ifeltastrongdesiretoshareitwithothers. With the help of some friends, I began leading a Bible Study with a group of five freshman girls During our three years together, this group has more than doubled in size. Coming together each week to study scripture, pray, and catch up, our friendships have blossomed and our understanding of God’s love has deepened dramatically. Seeing how God has used my simple efforts as a leader in this way is truly incredible and has been a defining joy of my college experience.”
“Since becoming Catholic I never would have thought that I would be equipped to lead a Bible Study or participate in missionary discipleship I had received the beautiful grace of being accepted into the Church in her fullness and was planning to have a private faith TheideaofamissionaryIhadwasofonewhowentoverseastohelpthepoorestofthe poor,somethingreservedonlyforthemostspirituallycapable.However,Iwas encouragedbythewordsofSt.Paul:“Godchosewhatisweakintheworldtoshamethe strong.”Throughout Scripture there is a constant theme of God empowering humble and ordinary people to carry out His mission. In this same light, I truly believe that the Newman Center is a place of empowerment to go on mission. It challenges me to go forth and be bold in proclaiming the Good News to all who need to hear it. I now lead a Bible Study, and through my simple efforts I can slowly see the seeds of evangelization being sown It’s exciting that God’s work in me doesn’t just stop there with his grace, and my willingness, it can flow out to others as well ”
Becoming a Missionary Hub
TeresaMorelli PennSenior
StokelyPalmer,Jr.
DrexelSophomore
Over the last several years we have been working to transform the Newman Center into a vibrant school of holiness and missionary training ground These efforts have been shared by our staff, campus ministry team, FOCUS missionaries, and student leaders, and have gained momentum with the development of our strategic plan We are especially excited this year, because Archbishop Perez has begun an initiative to cultivate missionary hubs across the Archdiocese of Philadelphia We are hoping to work with the Archdiocese to expand and deepen our efforts, and to be a place of community, formation, and mission for young adults in Philadelphia.
“As a Penn Newman alumnus, the current President of our Newman Advisory Council, and the Chief Strategy Officer for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, I’ve been fortunate to witness firsthand the incredible impact of the Newman Center on the future of our Church. We’re in an energizing moment here locally, with Archbishop Nelson Perez recently unveiling a new Pastoral Plan to revitalize our faith communities through a pastoral conversion rooted in missionary discipleship. Part of this vision includes establishing 50 missionary hubs across the Archdiocese over the next 20 years vibrant centers of faith to inspire and equip disciples. The Newman Center stands out as an inspiring example of what these hubs can be It’s truly remarkable to see so many young people encountering Christ at Newman and then going out to share His light in a world that desperately needs it. I’m honored to support this mission, and I warmly invite you all to join us in this exciting work!”
Stories of Giving
Giving Tuesday 2024
Giving Tuesday was a great success this year! We surpassed our goal, and raised a grand total of $82,201 across all three ministries. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed their time and donations to our Giving Tuesday efforts--we could not have our thriving ministry without your help! Thank you to all who contributed!
A highlight every year is having our students reach out to friends and family and share the fruits of this ministry What a great way to share the way God is working in our lives
SarahCahill
DrexelClassof2019
Alumni on Mission: Sarah Cahill
“I went to Drexel in 2015 to swim and study Biomedical Engineering. During my second year, I went on a mission trip to “Christ in the City” homeless ministry in Denver and had a profound encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist. I realized my need for deeper friendship and faith, so I started getting involved in small groups at the Newman Center Soon, I was inviting others to events, leading Bible studies, and even taking a group to back to “Christ in the City!” I loved every opportunity to evangelize and bring others to God
I graduated in 2020 and served 2 years as a “Christ in the City” missionary in Denver I moved back to Philadelphia largely due to the community at St Agatha-St James I worked for a year in homeless outreach and left my job last May when I felt God calling me to go on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage The pilgrimage re-kindled my desire for evangelization and led me back to ministry work I now work for a ministry called “Live Vertical” that seeks to create Eucharistic community and culture in Philadelphia’s Catholic high schools We lead students in guided prayer during Adoration
I would not be the woman or missionary I am today without the Drexel Newman community. In college, my faith flourished, my relationship with God deepened, and I experienced healing through authentic friendship. This community fostered a love of mission, evangelization, and the love of the poor that will forever impact me.”
A Gift Toward Our Future
Thank you to the James and Agnes Kim Family Fund of the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia for their generous support of our 5-year Strategic Plan“A Church that goes out.” For more information on the Strategic Plan, visit our website: saintsaj org/strategic-plan To support our Plan, contact our Chief Development Officer, Raul Espericueta at raul@saints org
A Community of Givers: making an impact at newman
HonoringtheLegaciesofMany
On November 29, 2000, Dr George Sommer Jr wrote Newman Director, Fr Charles Pfeffer informing him of a contribution from the Sommer Family Fund to the Newman Center. Five members of the Sommer family over four generations have been members of the Newman Center. George Sommer (Penn Medical School 1893) was a founding member of the country’s first Newman Club at Penn.
Most recently we had the pleasure of meeting John McLaughlin and Anne Louise Sommer John is a Penn Law grad from 1970, and Anne Louise is the daughter of George Sommer Jr In her grandfather’s honor the couple is underwriting our soon to be Legacy Wall Project to honor individuals who have
Newman Legacy Society
TheNewmanLegacySocietywasofficiallyestablishedin2024tohonor individualsandfamilieswhohavemadelong-termcommitmentsto Newman’sOutreach YoucanbecomeamemberoftheNewmanLegacy Societyby:
IncludingabequesttoNewmaninyourwill,trust,orestateplan
MakingNewmanthebeneficiaryofaretirementplan,lifeinsurance policy,commercialannuity,bankaccountorinvestment
Establishingacharitablegiftannuityorcharitableremaindertrust.
InterestedinlearningmoreaboutourLegacySociety?Joinusforaspecial luncheonandpresentationincollaborationwiththeCatholicFoundationof GreaterPhiladelphiaonSaturdayJune7that12pm.Allarewelcome! PleaseRSVPbyemailingAmyatabishop@saintsaj.org.
2025lentenappeal
Our Lenten Appeal this year is an invitation to consider your almsgiving in support of a new Heating & Air Conditioning System for our Church. This project will allow us to celebrate Mass comfortably throughout the entire year inside our beautiful church building.
OurgoalthisLentistoraise$50kthatwillgotowards anestimatedtotalprojectcostof$700k,whichwe willlooktoraiseoverthenextseveralyears.Please keepthiseffortinyourprayers,andconsider contributingatsaintsaj.org/lenten-appeal.
joinourparentnetwork!
Newman Parents, you are an important part of our community! Join us for our Newman Parent Network Meetings 30 minute Zoom calls in which staff members share some news from on campus, families can connect with one another, and we all pray a decade of the rosary together.
Allparentsofcurrentstudentsarewelcometojoin ourNewmanFamilyZoomCall.Formore information,contactAmyatabishop@saintsaj.org
AnneLouiseSommerandher father,Dr.GeorgeSommer,Jr.
The
Agatha - St. James
