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Fact Sheet

St. John’s Catholic Newman Center...

• is the largest Newman ministry of its kind in the United States;
• sits in the center of the University of Illinois Big 10 campus;
• is the only Newman Center to offer a residence facility to its students;
• has been filled to capacity since 1948;
• has on average 3,000 students attend weekend Mass;
• has had 88 men and women go on from St. John's Catholic Newman Center to study for the priesthood or religious life;
• received its first official chaplain, Fr. John O’Brien, through the Knights of Columbus in 1917;
• is currently undergoing one of the largest Catholic capital expansions in the country today;
• was named by Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago as one “of the most important apostolates in the State of Illinois.”
• has had over 1,500 young couples married in its Chapel since 1927.

In America today,

• There are 2018 Colleges and Universities in the United States;

• 245 are Catholic;
• 21 are recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society as maintaining a faithful Catholic identity;

• of the 4000 colleges and universities, there are 2100 Catholic campus ministry centers;
• In June, 2008 The Anniston Star reported that in a recent survey, close to 80% of college students report losing their faith during their undergraduate years;
• Of the 5.5 million Catholic students today, less than 10% (500,000) attend a Catholic college or university. The remaining students attend a public university, like the University of Illinois.