Much anticipated and long-awaited…

The Catholic Diocese of Grand Island and the St. Teresa of Calcutta Newman Center are moving forward with a campaign to build a new facility on the campus of the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK).

Newman Centers and FOCUS have seen explosive growth

across the nation and student engagement with St. Teresa’s is at all time highs.

Founded in 1952 and in its current location for seven decades, the Newman Center has been well-served by its aged premises.

The existing facilities have reached the point where any investment in upkeep and repairs is wasted.

Now the Newman Center is growing out of its space and its facilities are crumbling and needs to build a new church.

Land swap agreement…no going back!

In December 2024, UNK and St. Teresa’s concluded a land swap agreement for the property at 1601 University Drive. No money changed hands in the exchange and the new property perfectly suits St. Teresa’s needs for a new church. The agreement calls for UNK to take possession of the Newman Center’s existing premises no later than December 2029, at which time the buildings will be demolished and a parking lot constructed.

The clock is ticking…

It is time to build a new church. The space needs are for worship, community dinners, Bible studies and social/fun activities.

Balancing today, tomorrow and the future

The proposed layout for the new church is a modest 25,000 square feet. The church will seat 300, the parish hall will allow for community dinners of 180, and there are spaces for 6-8 different Bible study groups to meet at the same time (we have nearly 30 Bible study groups right now).

What will the future bring?

While it is conceivable that enrollment totals at UNK may decline in coming years, it is highly probable that student engagement at St. Teresa’s will continue to increase, perhaps dramatically. We are currently serving roughly 10% of the UNK student body, and that percentage keeps steadily increasing. Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we have every expectation of serving a quarter or a third or more of all UNK students soon. And none of this includes our growing outreach to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Central Community College (CCC) students in Kearney as well as high school youth activities around the diocese.

There are many reasons to support getting this new church built

It is easy to think that this is just a “Kearney” and “UNK” and “Catholic” project and that any potential donor will have to be a person who supports all three of those things. That is simply not the case. There are at least a dozen reasons that different people with different priorities and interests will want to support this effort.

Partnering with UNK

St. Teresa’s strengthens UNK, draws students to the campus, and has a profound impact on the learning of “deeper things” at the university.
Salvation of Souls

St. Teresa's is 100% focused on the salvation of young people's souls and in enriching their lives in Christ.
Strengthen Kearney

St. Teresa’s is a civic leader in Kearney and influences young citizens who want to stay and build their futures here.
Future of the Church

Newman Centers foster priestly vocations and form young Catholics who are the future of the Church.
Win the Culture War

The purpose of the Catholic Faith is not to fight the Culture War but young people who take their faith seriously are beacons of God's original plan for humanity.
Develop Western Nebraska

Development in Kearney is a building block and gateway for Western Nebraska.
Support FOCUS

FOCUS is leading a revolution in the Church and our society by providing true knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Grow the Church in Nebraska

The network of Newman Centers across the state are engines of growth for the Church in Nebraska.
Honor Mother Teresa

Few parishes around the world are named after St. Teresa of Calcutta and the young people at St. Teresa’s in Kearney love "Mother" very much.
Develop the Grand Island Diocese

As a focal point for young Catholics, St. Teresa’s serves youth across the whole Grand Island Diocese.
UNMC and Rural Healthcare

The future of rural healthcare is being trained at UNMC in Kearney and these students need authentic formation in spiritual as well as physical health.
Presence of God in the World

Building a church is very simply a sign of God in the world.