Columbus' New Bishop is Making the Right Move

On May 31, His Excellency, Bishop Earl Fernandes, was installed as the 13th Bishop of the Diocese of Columbus. One month later, on June 30, the Diocese of Columbus announced a change in leadership at the St. Thomas More Newman Center - the campus ministry center at The Ohio State University, the largest college campus in the United States. Since 1956, the Paulist Fathers have run the campus ministry at the Newman Center. For those unfamiliar with the Paulist Fathers, they are a fairly progressive, liberal-minded group of priests whose spirituality is more like that of Fr. James Martin, than St. Paul, for whom they are named. Over the years, the focus of the Newman Center has become less about the young adults on campus, and more about the 50, 60, 70-year olds that have come to call the Newman Center their parish home. Bishop Fernandes has a plan for the Newman Center, which includes the opportunity to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to more than 60,000 students and to make it a place to foster vocations - especially vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life. The Diocese of Columbus did not ordain a single man to the priesthood this year.

In order to bring this plan to fruition, Bishop Fernandes chose to bring the Newman Center under the leadership of the Diocese, and appointed Fr. Adam Streitenberger, who is currently the Diocesan Director of Evangelization as the new Executive Director of the Newman Center. When the announcement was made by the Diocese, it was also announced that the Paulist Fathers were asked to stay on staff, and they declined to stay. In an announcement from the Paulist Fathers to the members of the Newman Center, they stated that the Bishop intended to “make significant changes to the nature of the ministry to align with his vision for the St. Thomas More Newman Center.”

As mentioned above, the Paulist Fathers were offered the opportunity to stay, but in order to stay, the Newman Center had to welcome more lay movements. One of the movements that had been requested by students in the past, but not approved by the Paulist Fathers was Courage International, a ministry for Catholics who experience same-sex attraction which is committed to helping one another live chaste lives marked by prayer, fellowship, and mutual support. This ministry has helped countless Catholics afflicted with same-sex attraction maintain chaste lifestyles. This, unfortunately, is not part of the philosophy of the Paulist Fathers. Under the current leadership, the Newman Center was rated as an “LGBTQ-friendly” parish by New Ways Ministry - Fr. James Martin’s outreach group. Courage International does not fit the mold of New Ways Ministry’s “out and proud” model. Another lay movement that has been requested in years past, but has been denied, is Opus Dei - a theologically conservative group that encourages members to go out into the world and find God in daily life. The founder of Opus Dei, Saint Josemaria Escriva, advised people to “Sanctify your work. Sanctify yourself in your work. Sanctify others through your work.” Opus Dei’s theologically conservative point of view, is in contrast with the liberal stances taken by the Paulist Fathers. As they did not want to welcome groups such as these into the Newman Center, they chose to leave instead - blaming Bishop Fernandes for their Exodus.

Immediately following the public announcement regarding the change in leadership, many of the current (non-student) members of the Newman Center broadcast their anger and disappointment on social media. One of the fears of many of the non-student members of the Newman Center is that the Traditional Latin Mass might soon be offered. If that is a desire of the students, for whom the Newman Center exists, then it should be offered. On any given Sunday in my parish, Oratory of Saint Leo the Great (ICKSP), which offers the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively, one can find between fifteen and thirty college-age students who might go to Mass at the Newman Center if the Traditional Latin Mass was offered there. So, it is not a far cry to believe that one day in the not-to-distant future, the Traditional Latin Mass might be offered at the Newman Center.

As mentioned above, there are over 60,000 students who call The Ohio State University their home, plus many other college-aged people who may attend one of the many surrounding colleges and universities in Central Ohio. It is no secret that young adults are under attack by the forces of evil. There has never been a greater need for a solidly CATHOLIC, student-centered ministry than there is right now. Not only are young people facing a crisis of faith, they are also facing a crisis of identity - which could be argued is tied back to their crisis of faith. At the same time, the Church is also facing a crisis of a lack of vocations. Especially vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life - but also vocations to marriage. More people are cohabiting and having children out of wedlock, but less people are getting married. As Pope John Paul II said, “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.” Marriages lead to strong families, which lead to strong nations, which leads to a strong world. A family, nation, and world strong enough to combat the forces of evil. Strong enough to combat the temptations of secular society.

The move by Bishop Fernandes to appoint Fr. Streitenberger as the Executive Director of the Newman Center is the right move. If the non-student members of the Newman Center decide to leave for other parishes, that is a good thing. It will allow the Newman Center to finally move forward, instead of staying stuck in the 1970s or 1980s - when many of the current, non-student members attended the Newman Center. Fr. Streitenberger is a young priest with a zeal for evangelization - something needed on a campus of 60,000 students where many are not Catholic. Rumor has it that Fr. William Hahn will be assisting Fr. Streitenberger. Fr. Hahn is currently the vocations director for the Diocese of Columbus. During his college years at Ohio University, Fr. Hahn fell away from the faith for a while, so he knows and understands all too well the importance of a robust, student-centered campus ministry. Also, with his experience as the vocations director, he will be able to help with the discernment process of potential future priests. 

This move is nothing but good - for the Newman Center and for the Diocese of Columbus (as well as any other diocese a student member of the Newman Center calls home).