Fr. Joe Ciccone, CSP, shared some memories of installing the crucifix:

A thought as we all go through the pain of grieving and finding a new way to move forward: Change is difficult, and some kinds of change feel virtually impossible.

When we installed the new crucifix art at the STM Newman Center in 2016, it was a change in the physical and visual environment. So today I remembered that time and this photo only reminded me of how we can come to the cross where our faith assures us that the Savior set us free. ( I was inspired by a homily by Fr. Rick Walsh, CSP, this morning here in NYC). I pray we all find a way to move through this "death" to Resurrection. FREE from fear, anger, and of course, ALL of death's despair.

My own ongoing health challenges have been a difficult change in my life, and now seeing this devastating change in Columbus only reminds me to again return to my faith in the ONE who can truly free us.

It's O.K. to be angry and acknowledge injustice, but we also must find a way to be sustained in faith. I pray it be in the power of the Christ.

LOVE AND PRAYERS!!

Helping keep the Newman Center family connected

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19

This page is intended as a resource for members of the St. Thomas More Newman Center community to stay connected to each other in the wake of the forced departure of our beloved Paulists.
There is a private facebook group for our community. If you'd like to join, email me and I can send you a link kellysollinger@gmail.com
If you would like to receive an email notification when updates are made to this website, email me kellysollinger@gmail.com

Connect

  • September 11
    Paulist Mass live stream from NYC gathering at the Gateway Film Center. 1550 N. High Street. Doors will again open at 9 a.m. for the live stream of Mass from St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. Streaming begins at 9:45a with a commemorative liturgical dance remembering 9/11 victims. Parking in the parking garage between 9th and 11th Avenues will be validated
  • September 12
    Fr. Vinny has generously offered to lead labyrinth walks at Chadwich Arboreum in September. 11 am on Monday, 9/12 with the opportunity to have lunch at Panera for those who have time after the experience. Group size limited to 10. To reserve your space, send an email to katykram@gmail.com . Meet at the northeast corner of the Agriculture Administration Building, 2021 Fyffe Road 10 minutes before the walk. You can park in the parking lot at that location using for pay parking meters.
  • September 12
    Manna in the Morning will meet Monday, September 12, 6:45pm at Broad Street United Methodist to make sack lunches for the homeless alongside BSUM folks. All are welcome! (Contact is Brett4.Johnson@gmail.com)
  • September 14
    Fr. Vinny has generously offered to lead labyrinth walks at Chadwich Arboreum in September. 2 pm on Wednesday, 9/14 with ice cream at Graeters afterward. Group size limited to 10. To reserve your space, send an email to katykram@gmail.com . Meet at the northeast corner of the Agriculture Administration Building, 2021 Fyffe Road 10 minutes before the walk. You can park in the parking lot at that location using for pay parking meters.
  • September 14
    Taize Prayer Service 7:30pm at Worthington United Methodist Church
  • September 16
    Fr. Vinny has generously offered to lead labyrinth walks at Chadwich Arboreum in September. 9 am on Friday, 9/16 with coffee or tea at La Chatelaine afterward. Group size limited to 10. To reserve your space, send an email to katykram@gmail.com . Meet at the northeast corner of the Agriculture Administration Building, 2021 Fyffe Road 10 minutes before the walk. You can park in the parking lot at that location using for pay parking meters.
  • September 17
    Silent Saturday with Fr. Vinny. To register, contact mailtto:rbrtgorman@gmail.com. For more informtaion, see the Contemplative Outreach of Columbus website.
  • September 18
    Shamrock Club Mass with Fr. Vinny. Fr. Vinny will preside at a 10 o'clock Mass at the Shamrock Club at 60 W. Castle Road, Columbus, 43207. Doors will open at 9:00 a.m. so volunteers can help set up the Club's upstairs gathering space for the Mass. Fire code limits the number of people in that space to 195. If you are in the facebook group, please RSVP there; otherwise email me kellysollinger@gmail.com.
  • September 25
    from 2-4 p.m. our next discernment gathering at the First Unitarian Univeralist Church, 93 Weisheimer Rd (North of Henderson Rd; West of High St).
  • September 29
    The "Moms and More" will get together for dinner and downtime with faithful friends on Thursday, September 29 at 6:45. For details or to RSVP, contact Angelabeumerjohnson@gmail.com. Mom or not, mom of kids young or grown, all are welcome!
  • October 1
    Introduction to Centering Prayer Workshop To register, contact mailtto:rbrtgorman@gmail.com. For more informtaion, see the Contemplative Outreach of Columbus website.
  • October 7
    Healing Mass at St. Matthias, Fr. Vinny concelebrating.
  • October 9
    Paulist Mass live stream from NYC gathering at the Gateway Film Center. 1550 N. High Street. Doors will again open at 9 a.m. for the live stream of Mass from St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. Parking in the parking garage between 9th and 11th Avenues will be validated
  • October 12
    Taize Prayer Service 7:30pm at Worthington United Methodist Church
  • October 13
    Fr. Vinny is being honored by the Spiritual Network with the first ever Enduring Hope award. More info or buy tickets.
  • October 16
    from 2-4 p.m. discernment gathering at the First Unitarian Univeralist Church, 93 Weisheimer Rd (North of Henderson Rd; West of High St).
  • October 23
    Shamrock Club Mass with Fr. Vinny
  • November 1
    Spiritual Journey Series. To register, contact mailtto:rbrtgorman@gmail.com. For more informtaion, see the Contemplative Outreach of Columbus website.
  • November 9
    Taize Prayer Service 7:30pm at Worthington United Methodist Church
  • November 13
    Paulist Mass live stream from NYC gathering at the Gateway Film Center. 1550 N. High Street. Doors will again open at 9 a.m. for the live stream of Mass from St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. Parking in the parking garage between 9th and 11th Avenues will be validated
  • November 27
    Shamrock Club Mass with Fr. Vinny

Ongoing Opportunities

Past events

Other faith communities to consider

Many churches have graciously offered meeting space for ongoing ministries.
In particular, this beautiful letter of support and encouragement comes from Broad Street United Methodist Church


King Avenue Methodist Church also published a letter of support here

The Spirituality Network has many great resources you can check out here

Farewell Mass

There were around 1000 people in attendance!

  • Another wonderful video from Jim Reese
  • Farewell mass on YouTube
  • Fr. Larry Rice shared this powerful Rilke poem: Go to the limits of your longing
    by Rainer Maria Rilke
    God speaks to each of us as he makes us,
    then walks with us silently out of the night.
    These are the words we dimly hear:
    You, sent out beyond your recall, go to the limits of your longing.
    Embody me.
    Flare up like a flame
    and make big shadows I can move in.
    Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
    Just keep going. No feeling is final. Don't let yourself lose me.
    Nearby is the country they call life. You will know it by its seriousness.
    Give me your hand.

Important Documents and Resources

  • All YouTube content has been archived here
  • Proposed Memo of Understanding. Highlights indicate portions that the Paulists could not agree to.
  • A student-led initiative to collect signatures and personal stories of how the Newman Center has impacted lives can be found here. This letter was submitted to the bishop on July 8, 2022
  • Website by community member Adam Jardy
  • YouTube Channel. A HUGE shoutout to Julia Dreiling, last year's peer minister, who has been working overtime to coordinate the effort to archive all of this wonderful content for us. Stay tuned for a new link to access this in the future.
  • A 2018 student focus group highlighted strengths of our community, including a "strong resident community" "priests are charismatic and relatable" etc. Click on photos below for larger versions:
  • Community member Bobby Bender spent several days protesting in front of the chancery office

Recent Bulletins

Media Coverage

Other Media resources



"A Church without chains and walls, in which everyone can feel welcomed and accompanied, one where listening, dialogue and participation are cultivated under the sole authority of the Holy Spirit. The Church that is free and humble, that “gets up quickly” and does not temporize or dilly-dally before the challenges of the present time. A Church that does not linger in its sacred precincts, but is driven by enthusiasm for the preaching of the Gospel and the desire to encounter and accept everyone. Let us not forget that word: everyone. Everyone! Go to crossroads and bring everyone, the blind, the deaf, the lame, the sick, the righteous and the sinner: everyone! This word of the Lord should continue to echo in our hearts and minds: in the Church there is a place for everyone."
Pope Francis
Homily ~ June 29, 2022


"The fullness of JOY is to behold God in all things." ~ Julian of Norwich

It has been all too easy for me to miss the presence of God in so many painful things, most especially the loss of this faith community. We want to believe somehow that love excludes suffering even though Jesus said and demonstrated in so many ways that this is not the case. I pray not that God will remove the pain but that each of us can have the eyes of our hearts opened to see God more fully in the midst of it.

A Blessing For the Newman Center Family 

Blessed are we
who hold something
that no directive
can ever take away:
a place in our hearts
where we are
known and loved
and where we
know and love in return.

Blessed are we
who are family
(though some we have never met).
Family sharing body
and blood,
word and song -
made stronger by each other.
We have planted seeds
within one another
that will bear fruit
long after our last gathering
is but a distant memory.

Blessed are we
who share
in the ineffable
outrageousness
of love.
May we incarnate
that love
as we move forward
in faith and hope -
confident that this
is not an end
but rather God's beautiful
new beginning.

by Kelly Sollinger ©2022



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