Our Lady of Wisdom University Parish
On February 16, 2013 the H.L. Grant Catholic Student Center & St. Jude Chapel was established as a parish under the patronage of Our Lady of Wisdom. From this time forward this ministry is known as Our Lady of Wisdom University Parish. Our Bishop, Joe S. Vasquez, celebrated the Mass of Dedication in our Church at 5pm with a celebration that followed. Thank you to all the faculty, staff and alumni of Texas State University, friends and community members that joined us in this celebration and as we continue to chart a course for the future of Catholic Campus ministry at Texas State.
Here is a Fr. Jonathan story...
When Fr. Jonathan was in ministry at the CSC, I asked him what concerned him most about his students and he told me that so many don't know God's special love for them.
The CSC would like to wish all the December graduates a big congratulations and warm wishes to all your future endeavors! Thank you for allowing this Center to be a part of your college life!
The Catholic Student Center is extremely proud that 12 of our recent graduates are serving as missionaries in other locations for the 2012-2013 school year. They have discerned the paths to which God has called them, and answered that call to become missionaries through FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) and SPO (St. Paul's Outreach).
On Wednesday February 16, 2012, the Most Reverend William E. Lori, the Bishop of Bridgeport and Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee for Religious Liberty, gave testimony before Congress. He appeared before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the United States House of Representatives.
Bishop Lori spoke on behalf of all of the Catholic Bishops of the United States. They are unanimous in their effort to have the HHS Edict which seeks to compel Catholic institutions and organizations to distribute contraceptives and abortion inducing drugs as well as offer sterilization rescinded. Now is not the time for Catholics to be critical of the US Catholic Bishops. Now is the time for all of us to stand with them.
Fr. Jonathan Niehaus began researching the history of the Catholic Student Center and work of the Catholic Church at Texas State University in 2006. After doing extensive research in archives at the University and at the Diocese of Austin as well as conducting many interviews, he published a book, Catholics At Texas State, in 2008. A pdf version of this book is available below. The introduction expresses his great love for the students here as well as for the Church and this ministry.
Fr. Jonathan James Niehaus, member of the Secular Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers, died of lung cancer in Koblenz, Germany, on January 19, 2012. Fr. Jonathan was born June 5, 1960, the oldest of six children of Veronica and Melvin Niehaus. He graduated from Ivanhoe High School in 1978 and from Southwest State University in 1982. He is survived by his Mother Veronica and sister Sr. M. Deanne Niehaus (Sleepy Eye, MN), sister Rebecca Hall and family (Mendota Heights, MN), brothers David (Portland, OR), Fr. Mark (Waukesha, WI) and Fr. Thomas (Easton, MN).
Fr. Jonathan Niehaus, ISP, former director of the H.L. Grant Catholic Student Center at Texas State University, died this morning. He was battling cancer which was in his lungs and back and discovered in October 2011. Living in Germany at the Father House of the Schoenstatt Order, he received treatment for the cancer but was unable to recover from a lung infection this week. Several of his family members were with him in Germany as were his fellow priests in the Schoenstatt order.
Please join us in praying for Fr. Jonathan, his family and the Schoenstatt movement who will greatly miss him. Mass will be celebrated for Fr. Jonathan at the H.L. Grant Catholic Student center & St. Jude chapel on Thursday, Friday and Sunday of this week.
Fr. Jonathan Niehaus, director of the CSC 2006-2009, was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. He works in Germany at the Schoenstatt headquarters and is receiving treatment there. Please pray for him, for healing and full recovery!
Texas State students attend St. Paul's School of New Evangelization in St. Paul, MN to receive the teaching necessary to encourage Catholic students to come back to the Church through genuine relational evangelization.
October 2010, Six new FOCUS missionaries have joined the Catholic Student Center at Texas State University in San Marcos to evangelize and minister to college students.