The History of the Newman Center
The Newman Apostolate
"Students who attend colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning are the leaders of future generations. Within the Diocese of Allentown there are substantial and ever incresing numbers of Catholic students in non-Catholic institutions of higher learning. It is the function of the Newman Apostolate to help them develop a mature faith that they might be complete persons in the image of Christ. The Newman Apostolate makes the pilgrim church, which is missionary by its very nature, conveniently accessible to many who wish to learn from it." -from The First Synod of Allentown, May 1, 1968
John Henry Newman
The Newman Center is named after John Cardinal Newman. He was born in 1801 in London. Educated at Oxford, he later became an Anglican minister. Newman became a Catholic in 1845 and he was ordained a Catholic priest in 1847. In 1851 he was named rector of the Catholic University of Dublin. In his book Idea of a University, he attempted to analyze the true concept of liberal education in a university setting. He was created a cardinal in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII and he died in 1890.
In 1991 Pope John Paul II declared him Venerable, the first step in the cause for Sainthood.
History of the Apostolate at Lehigh
It was in 1964 that the first Catholic Chaplain was appointed for Lehigh University and in 1965 that the first Catholic Mass was celebrated in Packer Memorial Church. The Newman Center was originally located at 449 Carlton Avenue, Bethlehem. On January 5, 1976, Fr. Robert Cofenas informed Bishop McShea, bishop of Allentown, that there were certain difficulties associated with the Carlton location and in a letter dated January 13, 1976 the bishop requested that Fr. Cofenas be alert to a possible site for re-location. Soon afterwards, the property at 661 Taylor St., previosly owned by the Kiernan family, was purchased by Lehigh University. According to Ben Nevis, his grandfather, Edward McGeady, built the house on Taylor Street and sold it to the Kiernans in the mid 1890's.
On December 17, 1976 the Newman Foundation entered into a lease agreement with Lehigh University for the use of the house at 661 Taylor St. as the new site for the Newman Center. During 1977 an addition was constructed to include a front office, chapel, side entrance, and extension onto the kitchen. The Center was dedicated on November 20, 1977.
Previous Catholic Chaplains
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| Rev. Robert Cofenas, 1973-1979 | ||
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| Rev. Richard Schware, 1979-1989 | ||
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| Rev. John Mraz, 1989-1994 | ||
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| Rev. Msgr. Alfred Schlert, 1994-1997 | ||
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| Rev. Andrew Baker, 1997-2000 | ||
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| Rev. Wayne E. Killian, 2000- | ||