Saluki Catholics

06/23/2026

Dear friends and supporters of the Newman Center,

Sometimes people hand me some cash or check and just say, "to keep the lights on." They understand that most of our expenses are not big flashy items or student trips or programs, but the everyday expenses of keeping a building upon, paying staff, buying toilet paper, and, of course, keeping the lights (and air conditioning!) on. That is not as easy as it used to be. In 2015, our total gas and electric bill was a little over $12,000. About $1000 per month. In 2025, that total bill was over $23,000. We have been talking about installing solar panels on the section of our flat roof that we replaced two years ago; with some of the federal government incentives set to expire soon, the time for starting that project is now.

I mentioned at one of our Masses that we were looking for people to support this project financially. We need about $200,000 for the panels, inverters, and installation; much of that we will get back in state and federal incentivnes in the first year; the rest we will easily recover in the first few years of our lowered utility bills. A couple approached me after Mass to let me know: they had prayed and talked about it, and they would like to offer $10,000 as a matching gift to encourage others to donate. This was not Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos. This is a real sacrifice that they are willing to make to encourage others to support a worthy project. For me, their generosity was an act of restoration. They wanted to make the world, and the Newman Center, better. As St. Newman pointed out, restoration is painful. Making the world more beautiful and more peaceful takes sacrifice and suffering. But we are blessed to be a part of God's restoration project for this world, whatever our place in time and history. Please consider making a contribution to our Solar Fund to provide not just for our needs today but for many years to come.

The true restoration at Newman is in our students. They are as active and as faithful and as service-oriented as ever. They have a hope for the future of our world and for the Kingdom to come. They are just beginning to understand the painfulness of that restoration, but they are still eager to see it through. Thank you for all of your support of the Newman Center and of them. Thank you for putting your trust for the future in their capable and compassionate and enthusiastic hands.

In His peace,
Tim Taylor, Director

P.S. Our beautiful, hand-made Quilt Raffle is back; just let us know on the next page how many chances you would like to get, and we will fill them out for you!

https://siucnewman.org/blog/donate/

06/03/2026

NOTICE: The air conditioning at Newman is out, so this event will take place at 724 Ministries in Murphysboro, at 724 Walnut Street. We are sorry for the inconvenience!

Newman Center is hosting the next session of the Interfaith Dialogues for Peace and Healing, on Wednesday June 7 from 5 to 7pm. The topic is "One Nation Under God: Patriotism and Religion." Everyone is welcome to attend!

06/01/2026

Not too late to sign-up and hang out with some@priests for a few days!!

05/27/2026

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” - Matthew 18:20
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School year 2025-2026

05/20/2026

St. Francis Xavier and the Newman Center are working together on a picture directory for our community. There has been some issues with the QR code in the bulletin, so to make an appointment (for June 15 or 16) you can use this one or simply go to https://instant-scheduling.com/sch.php?page=&lang=en&year=2026&month=06&day=01&subPage=newApp&aNum=3534502&step=2&sceId=&typId=66316&a=

05/14/2026

Bulletin Thoughts from Tim for Ascension (celebrated on Sunday):

In our daily Mass readings a few weeks ago, there was an interesting exchange between Jesus and the apostle Jude (not Judas Iscariot). It is a part of the Gospel of John called the Last Supper Discourses, in Chapter 14. On the night before he was to suffer and die, Jesus told his disciples that the Father would send to them the Holy Spirit, to be with them and to strengthen them to do the works of the Father. Jesus warned them that [because of his crucifixion] “in a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me [in the resurrection], because I live and you will live” (14:19).

Jude was concerned and disturbed by this, and he said to Jesus, “Master, then _what_happened_ that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” This was a change of plan, at least from the viewpoint of Jude and the apostles. They thought the Kingdom of God was coming soon, with Christ rising up to take over the whole world, throw out the Romans, and become everyone’s Messiah, King, and Savior in a new Jewish empire. What happened to the plan?!? What happened to the fulfillment of everything for everyone everywhere? Jesus, why don’t you just make it happen now?

In today’s readings for the Ascension, we get an answer. In our first reading, from Acts, Jesus did in fact appear alive to his disciples, as he promised them he would in John 14. And again, they ask him: now are you going to restore the Kingdom of Israel?? Jesus replied, well, no, not yet. That’s not the plan. Instead, the plan is this: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth.” I have come to save the entire world and establish my Kingdom, that is and always has been the plan; but you all—with the power of the Holy Spirit—get to do the leg work!

Christ ascended, but he did not abandon us. He lives, we will live, he is with us, and the Holy Spirit is with us. As our second reading says, after the Ascension Jesus is now seated in heaven with the Father, but his body—his Church—us!—remains to carry on his work. We have always been a part of the plan, as witnesses and workers and proclaimers of the Gospel in our words and actions and lives. He will be with us, to the end of the age, but it is we who must go out and “make disciples of all nations, baptizing [in water and Spirit] in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Just as all three persons of the Trinity are involved, so are all of us, the members of his body. That is the plan, and it always has been, since before the Fall of Adam and Eve. We are not spectators; we are not subjects; we are apostles, sent out into the world to bring God’s presence and God’s plan to everyone. Jesus was _sent_into_ the world to do the work of the Father; we are _sent_out_ to the world to continue that work in His name.

05/12/2026

Bishop Godfrey has worked quickly to make priest appointments, including many pastor appointments that could not be made official without a bishop in place. Fr. Michael Arockiam has been appointed to be the new chaplain of the Newman Center and Pastor of St. Francis Xavier. We are excited to have a resident priest back in Carbondale! Many thanks to Fr. Joel Seipp and Fr. Bill Spencer for serving us so selflessly over the last year or more.

04/28/2026

Adoration tonight 5:15-6:15! Fr. Joel is out of town, so no mass or confession.

04/26/2026

04/07/2026

Bibles and Brews this Thursday!