For many years it has been the dream of the Catholic community at Penn State University to have a home of its own. Finally the opportunity has arrived and the Catholic Student Faith Center has entered into the building phase!

The Catholic Campus Ministry at Penn State serves a large and growing number of people. Approximately 10,000 students, faculty and staff of the University identify themselves as Catholic but there has never been a place on campus that Catholics could call “home.” Through the years, the community has worshipped in various places: Eisenhower Chapel, Schwab Auditorium and the Forum Building. Most recently the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center was built and this building has truly been a godsend for all the faith groups on campus, especially the Catholic community because it is large enough to handle most of our weekend liturgies. Daily Masses are held in the small chapel and the Catholic Campus Ministry has offices in the Pasquerilla Center.

The mission of the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center is to serve all faiths but space limitations prevent it from fulfilling all the needs of each faith. There are more than 50 religious groups affiliated with the University, many of which seek office and worship space in the building. This building is indeed a valuable asset for the Catholic community and all of Penn State’s religious groups. Even after the smaller Catholic Faith Center is built, the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center will continue to be the site for the Catholic community’s weekend liturgies because it seats over 700 people. Catholic Campus Ministry needs that kind of capacity for many of its liturgies. Weekend Mass attendance can often exceed 1800. In fact, over 3600 people participated in our Ash Wednesday services.

The Campus Ministry will also continue to maintain office space at the Pasquerilla Center in order to best serve the students and to be a part of the all-faith mission of the Center. However, our young people need greater access to the atmosphere of their own faith tradition. The opportunity has arrived for the Catholic community to build a smaller building of its own where Catholic students can gather at any hour of any day, every day! The Catholic Student Faith Center will provide a stable faith-filled “home” for our students. I believe that Penn State is the only Big Ten School which does not have a specific Catholic worship and gathering place.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown is responsible for providing for the spiritual needs of the students at the Penn State University. Over the course of the years, the diocese and the monks of St. Vincent Archabbey, the priests who staff the ministry, have purchased property directly across from the north side of campus. The first four lots on the corner of Park Avenue and North Allen Street going east have been acquired. On three of these four lots, the diocese plans to build the Faith Center. The location of this property is ideal – this center will be “on campus” so to speak, and only a block from the Pasquerilla Center!

The building will include:

• A small chapel for daily Mass and services
• Reconciliation rooms (something currently lacking)
• A Catholic library (also lacking)
• Student lounges
• Kitchen facilities
• Offices
• A project work area
• A multi-purpose room
• A residence for the priests who serve the ministry

Most importantly, this will be a spiritual haven for our students. This facility will be owned and operated by the diocese for the spiritual well-being of the Catholic students attending Penn State University.

In addition to my family, there are two areas of my life about which I am most passionate: my faith and Penn State University. I believe that it is our sacred obligation and our social duty to properly educate our children. Education can never be simply the acquisition of intellectual knowledge. The needs of the soul must be addressed. True education is about faith and reason! Through Catholic Campus Ministry and Penn State University, our young Catholic adults are being formed in a wholesome manner and this well-rounded education affords our students a greater opportunity to positively affect our world and our future. My Catholic faith has helped me be successful and my personal success has afforded me the opportunity to give back to this University and to my church. I have been abundantly blessed and desire that other lives be blessed.

The goal is to break ground for the new center within eighteen months and have the building completed within another year. A $6 million goal has been established to cover the cost of the building and furnishings and to create an endowment that will grant the ministry monies to cover the ongoing and future costs of maintenance, programming and personnel.

If you are interested in helping us fulfill this vision, please contact the Director of Development, Erik Bjalme, at esb102@psu.edu.

Sincerely,




Suzanne P. Paterno

There is a display in the lobby with more information about the project. Even though we are breaking ground, we have not yet reached our financial goal for the campaign. We continue to need the support of our alumni and parents with this project because our “parishioners,” the students, are not in a position to be able to give a great deal financially. This is a tremendous opportunity to provide a “Catholic” home on campus for all future Penn Staters. Please keep us and this project in your prayers. May God bless and keep you all.

—Fr. Matthew

Take a virtual tour of the building or get donation information.

Read all the current coverage of the Suzanne Pohland Paterno Catholic Student Faith Center in the media, both local and across the State of Pennsylvania (most recent coverage at the top of the list):

Catholic Center Named For Sue Paterno from The Penn Stater, September 2, 2010

New PSU faith center bears name of Sue Paterno from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, September 1, 2010

PSU Plans Catholic Student Faith Center from The Daily Collegian, August 31, 2010

Sue Paterno Has “Legacy Of Her Own,” Bishop Tells Penn State Audience from StateCollege.com, August 31, 2010

Catholic Ministry Nearing Its Goal from the Centre Daily Times, June 24, 2010

Catholic Center To Open In Fall from The Daily Collegian, July 6, 2010

More coverage to come!