The Catholic Community of the University of Oregon
St. Thomas More University Parish-Newman Center
 
 
The Mission of the Catholic Newman Center of St. Thomas More
is to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ expressed in the Roman Catholic intellectual and spiritual tradition into dialogue with the academic community at the University of Oregon through the evangelization and religious formation of the Catholic students, faculty, staff and administrators.
 
 
The Core Values That Guide Us
are derived from essential aspects of the Christian life, the charism and life of the Dominican Order, and our goal of participating in the intellectual life of the University.
  • We believe that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives and that Christ forms us into His Body through the grace of the sacraments;
  • We believe in the importance of both a personal relationship with God expressed in prayer and a moral life, and a communal relationship manifested in liturgy and service;
  • We believe we are each empowered by the Holy Spirit with gifts given us in baptism, and commissioned by Jesus Christ to exercise a particular apostolate;
  • We seek to understand our Faith and to form our consciences according to Christian principles while acknowledging the freedom of human Reason and the legitimate autonomy of human culture and science;
  • We are convinced that studying the signs of the times and working for social justice are non-negotiable elements of the Gospel; and
  • We desire to be a diverse, multi-generational and welcoming community that is a center of formation for Christian leaders

 
 
 
Our Vision for the Beginning of the Third Millennium Includes

  1. Vibrant Liturgy
    We will be a community known for thoughtful preaching in the Dominican tradition that addresses the genuine concerns of the day.

    In the midst of the most unchurched county in the country, we will provide a liturgy rooted in the values of the Second Vatican Council that speaks to the hearts of the spiritually hungry.

    Our liturgies will be reverent, visually beautiful and joyful. Everything we do will foster the full, active conscious participation of all the members of the worshipping community.

    Our music will be exceptional, blending the best of contemporary compositions with the treasures of the past. The music director will lead a program at the Newman Center for music majors that surveys the history of music in Catholic worship, familiarizes the students with contemporary Catholic liturgy, and qualifies them to lead music for worship in Catholic parishes after they graduate.

    A liturgical arts committee will help plan and execute liturgies, using funds generated from an endowment begun by a donor in 1999.
     

  2. Student, Faculty, Staff and Administration Formation
    We will provide a comprehensive student leadership development program that incorporates leadership in the liturgy, activity planning, management skills, social justice experience and involvement at the University. When students leave the University, they will be equipped to contribute to whatever parish they join.

    We will nurture a mentor program that links permanent community members with students studying in fields related to the mentor’s work.

    Quarterly seminars or evenings of reflection will provide spiritual nourishment, intellectual study and mutual support for faculty, staff and administration.

    Recognizing that at present there is no campus outreach at Lane Community College, we will continue to welcome LCC students to our campus ministry and work to develop with members of that community a regular outreach on the LCC campus.
     

  3. Community Formation
    The Sunday Eucharist will be strengthened by a variety of small church communities which provide regular spiritual support for a significant portion of the community.

    A comprehensive RCIA process will be integrated into the heart of our community.

    An exciting Adult Education program will help the more mature members of the community appropriate the Faith. Scripture, the basics of the faith, Church history, and the social sciences will be used to address contemporary social, moral and ecclesial issues in the Church and the local community.

    The home will be seen as the primary locus of religious education, and parents will receive help in sharing their faith with their children. This home-based education will be supplemented by programs which utilize the gifts and enthusiasm of university students. Education majors will be particularly sought as teachers, so that they may have practical experiences in the field.

    The Newman Center will be home to a vigorous lay Dominican community committed to the ideals of private prayer and study, a common life, apostolic work, and a sharing of faith whenever possible.

    The Center will be a comfortable home-away-from-home for students to study, relax and socialize during the day, and a multi-purpose resource for the entire community.
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