The St. John Paul II Catholic Newman Center serves the students of Illinois State, Illinois Wesleyan, and Heartland Community College. We strive to be a home for students and a place to grow in their faith and form authentic friendships. 

You can follow our weekly events on our Facebook profile (John Henry Newman) and our Instagram @NewmanCenterNormal.

If you are a prospective student to the Bloomington-Normal area you are welcome to visit us at 501 S. Main St., in Normal, Monday through Friday; the Newman Center opens at 10am. Sunday we celebrate mass at 10:30am & 5pm. See our full mass schedule for the daily mass times.

If you would like to further connect with the St. John Paul II Catholic Newman Center, please fill out the short survey below! 

Check out our latest Newsletter

June Newsletter

June Newsletter

What’s New at Newman?

From the Director’s Desk


" Ecce Quam Bonum"


I began my seminary studies in the fall of 2008 at Immaculate Heart of Mary seminary in Winona Minnesota. I quickly fell in love with the beauty of the surrounding bluffs which overlooked the Mississippi River, the shared life of the seminary and the fraternity of the seminarians. Throughout the building, on every mailing and logo one would find the words "ecce quam bonum" These words are taken from the first line of psalm 133... behold how good and pleasant it is where brothers dwell in unity." These words always helped me remember that I was never alone in the pursuit of my vocation.

I've been reflecting lately on this saying recently especially since I was able to spend the first twelve days of this month in Lincoln Nebraska where I was serving as a Chaplain for the new staff training of FOCUS. I was with several hundred missionaries, including our team, and I was blessed with the daily sense of unity in mission. I am so looking forward to seeing how the Lord will continue our efforts to be more unified in our campus outreach, Bible Studies, Newman events and community building.

This summer our staff and I will be working hard on making greater efforts in connecting with the community at large as well as our alumni to foster a greater reality of unity and harmony in bringing the love and mercy to the lives of our students. Please continue to help us connect with past generations of Newman Center Alumni and please prayerfully consider helping our mission with financial contributions. Our students are the direct beneficiaries of your generosity as they seek to grow in their friendship with Jesus. May our blessed Lord bless you and your families and may the Spirit's gift of unity be experienced in a more profound way.

-

Fr. Lucas

Director


This summer our FOCUS missionaries have been in Lincoln, Nebraska alongside many other missionaries at FOCUS’s New Staff Training! We are so excited for our missionaries to return to us!


All of our missionaries will be returning, and we are so excited to welcome Frank Jakubicek to our FOCUS team!

St. John Paul II Catholic Newman Center
501 S. Main St. Normal, Il
​(309) 452-5046
[email protected]
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