If I was to define the purpose of the Catholic Church on campus, I would say it is to create avenues for students, faculty and staff to find Union with God. A rather noble undertaking, and yet it is by far one of the most important roles we play as a faith community on campus. Without union with God all "the stuff" we learn has no real focus. There is a need for the Church to take her rightful place in the academic arena. I pray that we can provide to the university community an avenue where common ground can be found.

We all have much to learn from each other. The integration of faith and reason has been a part of university life since the birth of higher education. And so, I hope the Newman Catholic Center at EIU can be for you a community where "heart speaks to heart."