tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20134052.post-1166100710520575442006-12-14T07:48:00.000-05:002006-12-14T07:51:50.536-05:00No bias here at allWhen I saw this story today I couldn't help but post it to give props to my old Newman Center:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.archindy.org/criterion/national/12-13-newman.html">Newman Center at University of Illinois to expand</a></span><br /><br />Here is an excerpt:<br /><br /><blockquote>The new facility will address both an increasing demand for housing at Newman Hall -- a 300-bed residence hall built in 1929 that has a waiting list of nearly 200 -- and a lack of program space for outreach to the nearly 12,000 Catholic students at the University of Illinois.<br /><br />- - - - - - - <br /><br />At a Nov. 21 press conference announcing the planned expansion, Bishop Jenky called St. John's "the premier Newman Center in America." It is staffed by six full-time priests and three women religious, and has a full-time lay staff of 55. In addition to the residence hall, it includes St. John's Catholic Chapel as well as the Institute of Catholic Thought.<br /><br />"This project has statewide impact and a national scope because of the demographics of students at the University of Illinois," said Bishop Jenky, which he called "one of the world's best-known secular universities."<br /><br />The 127,000-square-foot brick structure will have two wings, one six stories tall and the other three stories tall. Resident rooms will be a combination of suites, double bedrooms and single rooms configured in the latest style of college residential living, including private baths and commons areas.<br /><br />The facility also will include a 300-seat cafeteria, a Newman Club, where nonresidents as well as residents can gather for study and relaxation, a fitness center, and various meeting rooms. </blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20134052-116610071052057544?l=criteriononline.blogspot.com'/></div>Archdiocese of Indianapolisnoreply@blogger.com0