The Rev. Chuck Durante, rector of Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral in Reno, shared a message in the church's Aug. 23 bulletin on the topic of the Newman Center.

The church was remembering Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Community and the University Newman Center, named after Cardinal Saint John Henry Newman, who helped to form the Catholic University in Ireland, Fr. Durante said in the message.

Newman underwent beatification in 2019 by Pope Francis, though his journey to becoming a saint was started by Pope Benedict XVI.

“The first Newman Center in Reno began in a Quonset hut and was known as St. Albert the Great Newman Club,” Durante said. “A parish church was built two years later, becoming the first location of Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church and the Newman Center relocated to the former Carmelite monastery on North Virginia St., when the nuns moved to their new location. In 1965 when the parish relocated to northwest Reno, the community that remained at the original site settled on the name of Our Lady of Wisdom.”

As the sister parish of St. Thomas Aquinas, Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Community and the University Newman Center serve an integral role in the encouragement of students who are met with secular environments and oppositions to the faith.

In addition to the prayers for their sister parish, St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral is also remembering four seminarians.

“Two men are just beginning their formation with us, one at the college level, Jordan Dicus; and the other at the graduate level already having attained his college degree, Sean Scherschel. The other two, both at the graduate level, Rene Rodriguez and Kyler Voegele,” Durante said.

Durante ended his letter stating the importance of voting this year as well as the necessity of taking careful consideration of the issues on the ballot.

“It is not too early to be aware of the issues at stake in our nation and world and to enter into deep discernment and prayer about how the Lord is directing us,” Fr. Durante said. “Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of all your people!”