Parish Life
A parish serving
university students
St. Lawrence Newman Center is made up of resident parishioners who live, work, and raise their families in the area, and the University of Minnesota community. Our resident and student parishioners all have a unique opportunity to make disciples of Jesus as a university Catholic church. They offer an example of the blessing that comes from living the faith, raising a family in faith, and growing spiritually through a personal relationship with Christ.
Parish Groups
Young Adult Group
Gopher Catholic Young Adults is a community of men and women ages 22–32 who desire to grow deeper in faith, friendship, and mission. Rooted in the Eucharist, we gather regularly for Mass, fellowship, and intentional small groups that foster prayer, accountability, and authentic Catholic living. Together, we seek to follow Christ more fully, build lasting friendships, and live as joyful witnesses of the Gospel in our daily lives.
We meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. during the school year.
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This fall semester, Young Adults will be meeting on:
September 2
September 16
October 7
October 21
November 4
November 18
December 2
December 16 -
We provide opportunities to serve St. Lawrence Newman Center and local community organizations across the metro. At the Newman Center, we help with weeding, leaf raking, decorating the church, connecting with older parishioners, and more. In the community, we have helped at Loaves and Fishes, Feed my Starving Children, and other places. We are always open to new ideas on more ways to serve!
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We host group social events regularly, with no set schedule. We enjoy group hikes, brunches, game nights, and BBQs.
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We host monthly men's and women's nights to dive deeper into topics that specifically pertain to Catholic men and women.
Builders Men’s Ministry
Builders is for men who are grad students, young adults, and parishioners to build a spiritual fraternity in the parish that supports and encourages men to “Stand in the Breach” as fathers to our families, brothers to one another, and as sons of our Father.
We have monthly intergenerational men's gatherings that foster true Brotherhood.
Contact Br. Gary Davis to get involved
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1) Develop our identity as a Catholic man.
2) Build fraternity with other Catholic men.
3) Deepen our sense of the importance of fatherhood.
4) Foster a spiritual masculine culture that attracts men to return to the faith.
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1) Men need other men to faithfully live out the Gospel.
2) There is an opportunity for men to showcase what being a man of Faith is in our society today.
3) Many men have left the church and this trend enables our children to follow suit.
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1) Our monthly meetings include a presentation on masculine spirituality, small group discussion, and time for fellowship.
2) These will be intergenerational discussion groups (married, single, younger, and wiser).
3) To reach out to other men in the parish to join.
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Fall Schedule
"Iron sharpens iron, and a good friend can sharpen a friend."
August 13
September 10
October 8
November 12
December 10
Begins at 7 p.m. in the Gathering Space
We are a biblically focused faith formation group for all women of the parish.
This fall, we will be reading and discussing St. Paul's second letter to Timothy, accompanied by a book titled Passionate Discipleship by Lisa Brenninkmeyer and Mallory Smyth.
Small groups will form on Tuesday, September 23rd, and then meet weekly for 9 weeks at 6:30 PM, concluding on Tuesday, November 19th.
Throughout the fall session, we will read and discuss St. Paul's second letter to Timothy, accompanied by a book titled Passionate Discipleship by Lisa Brenninkmeyer and Mallory Smyth. The printed study guide is available for purchase on Walking with Purpose for $25 + shipping, or a $20 E-book version of the study is also available here.
Please fill out the short registration form below to let us know you'll be joining in and if you'd like to be included in the group book order:
Where: Social Hall of St. Lawrence Newman Center
When: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday evenings, from Sept 16 - Nov 18
Who: All women interested in growing in their faith are welcome. It's not required to be a member of St. Lawrence to participate!
Materials: Bible, Passionate Discipleship Study Guide
Questions? Email Caitlin Johnston at cljohnst@gmail.com
Women Growing in Faith
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To build a community of women at the Newman Center that gathers together to listen, learn and share with other faith-filled women.
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This program includes daily readings and personal reflection in addition to the weekly meeting to learn and grow from each other. We ask that you register so we can assign small groups.
Each semester, Women Growing in Faith focuses on a study found from the Blessed is She or Walking with Purpose programs.
Past Programs:
Seek His Kingdom
Encountering Christ in the Eucharist
Beholding His Glory
Living in the Father’s Love
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No. The existing women's group is also a vibrant community at the Newman Center. Women Growing in Faith is being offered as a Biblically-focused faith formation group.
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Study: Passionate Discipleship
Sept 16, Sept 23, Sept 30, Oct 7, Oct 14, Oct 21, Oct 28, Nov 4, Nov 11, and Nov 18
The St. Lawrence Women's Group is an open group of women of all ages, talents, ideas, and abilities. It was formed in the late 1940s when the building was an elementary school. Many generations of families, parishioners, and students have been a part of this great legacy and history at St. Lawrence Catholic Church and Newman Center.
Women’s Group
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Our group has sponsored and supported many events, projects, parish, and staff improvements. The Women's Group hosts the Christmas Bazaar and Spring Art event.
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Group meetings are held monthly on the first Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Newman Center Social Hall.
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To stay connected with the Women's Group, follow us on Facebook
Seven Sister’s Apostolate
The Seven Sisters Apostolate began in the Twin Cities in 2011 with seven groups of women praying for their pastors weekly (with each woman committing to a separate day of the week), and has since spread widely. Since Fr. Jake was assigned here in 2019, we've been praying for him every day.
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Each woman prays for an hour in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament (either at adoration, or in a church with a tabernacle) on a specific day of the week.
The structure and place for the prayer is pretty individual - you do not need to pray at the same place or time of day, and the Apostolate provides some suggestions for praying for your pastor, but no set prayers.
If you are unable to pray your Holy Hour, ideally you would find a sub (can be a woman or man) to take your place. If you are unable to find a sub, contact Margie Zenk.
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Currently, each day of the week is filled to pray for Fr. Jake. Women who desire to offer additional holy hours for Fr. Jake or be available as substitutes are encouraged to contact Margie Zenk.
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If you feel called to participate in this ministry, please email the Seven Sister Apostolate Coordinator for St. Lawrence Newman Center, Margie Zenk.
In addition, feel free to forward this invitation to any woman you feel might be interested.
Prayer Intentions
Please pray for the prayer intentions of our parishioners and students.
For those affected by the recent shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School
For the repose of the souls of MarieSandra and Hindley, and for their surviving children
For continued healing from traumatic injuries
For my Mother and brothers to see the fullness of truth and join the Catholic Faith, and for my Father to return to the Church
For the repose of the soul of Pope Francis
For our country and our leaders, that the Lord would guide them
For a deeper surrender of our vocation to the Lord, and for peace in the waiting
For my father Tom Deming who was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer
For young adults, that they would grow in their relationships with the Lord and continue going to Mass on Sundays
For my grandfather Robert who entered a memory care facility
For my grandpa Ernie Dold who is battling cancer
For the soul of Sienna, and her family as they grieve her loss
For the 3 children who passed away in a fire in Da Lat, Viet Nam: Vong Minh Anh, Anthony Vong Dang Khoa, Maria Vong Ngoc Bao Anh
For the repose of the soul of Josephine Anna Schmidt
For continued healing from traumatic brain injury accident
For the recovery of Joe Anderson from a near-fatal work incident
Pray for financial help to keep our business. We also pray for the strengthing of our marriage
That the Christian Engineering group may be a source of fellowship, consolation, and light
Pray for my studies. I'm a student at Liberty University in Worship Studies and Commercial Music
For me and my family's move to Minnesota
For Mother Mary to protect and guide my family
For faithfulness, love, and fidelity in marriages
Weekly Bible Study
Each Sunday, Dr. Robert Brenneman leads a Bible study in the upper level of the Newman Center for grad students, young adults, and parishioners from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Come and check us out!