St. Thomas Aquinas - The Catholic Center at Purdue

What St. Thomas Aquinas - The Catholic Center at Purdue does

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue is a nonprofit Catholic university parish established in 1951 and located at 535 Mitch Daniels Boulevard, West Lafayette, Indiana. It operates under the spiritual authority of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana and is staffed exclusively by Dominican Order (Order of Preachers) clergy from the Province of St. Albert the Great, comprising five priests and one deacon. The parish serves two primary constituencies: Purdue University students through the Boiler Catholics campus ministry brand, and over 900 resident parishioner families in the Greater Lafayette area, with additional touchpoints to parents of students, alumni, Korean Catholics, and Hispanic Catholics.

Name

St. Thomas Aquinas - The Catholic Center at Purdue

Legal name

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center

Website

https://boilercatholics.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Short description

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue is a Dominican-staffed Catholic university parish in West Lafayette, Indiana, serving Purdue University students through Boiler Catholics campus ministry and over 900 resident parishioner families with sacramental, formation, retreat, and outreach programs funded by voluntary donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

West Lafayette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Parish Donations and Tithes: St. Thomas Aquinas relies on voluntary donations from student and resident parishioners. The parish accepts one-time and recurring gifts online via ParishSoft, checks, and phone contributions. IRA distributions, annuity distributions, donor-advised funds, stock assets, and planned giving (bequests) are also accepted as giving mechanisms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue is a Catholic university parish that delivers sacramental worship (Mass, Confession, Adoration), sacramental preparation (OCIA, Youth Formation, Adult Formation), campus ministry programs for Purdue students (Ignite small groups, retreats, social events), community service (Greater Lafayette Family Shelter, Haiti sister-parish ministry), and music ministry. It serves Purdue University students, resident parishioner families, parents, and alumni through both in-person programs and digital communications.

Product overview

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue operates as a university parish serving Purdue University students and over 900 resident parishioner families. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of Catholic faith formation and community programs centered around the Boiler Catholics campus ministry brand. Core offerings include Mass and liturgical services (with multiple weekend and daily Mass times, Confession, and Adoration), sacramental preparation through OCIA and Youth Formation programs, and Adult Formation initiatives including Theology on Tap and Scripture studies. The parish runs multiple annual retreats including the Boiler Awakening retreat, supports community outreach through Greater Lafayette Family Shelter and Haiti Ministry programs, and maintains facility improvements through the Project Renewal capital campaign. Music Ministry provides liturgical music through various choirs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boiler Catholics Campus Ministry Student campus ministry program serving Purdue University students with faith formation, community building, retreats, service opportunities, and spiritual growth through student-led and staff-led ministries.
• Mass and Liturgical Services Regular and special Mass celebrations including weekend Masses (Saturday 5:30 PM, Sunday 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 7:00 PM, 9:00 PM), daily Mass, Confession, Adoration, Liturgy of the Hours, and special liturgical services.
• OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) Sacramental formation program for those seeking to become Catholic or be received into the Catholic Church, covering the five stages of inquiry, catechumenate, purification, initiation, and mystagogy. Free to participate.
• Youth Formation Religious education and sacramental preparation programs for children and youth, including First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and middle/high school youth ministry. Registration fees apply, increasing $15 per student after August 16 deadline.
• Adult Formation Continuing education programs for adults including Theology on Tap, theology classes, book studies, Scripture studies, The Chosen viewing series, and Formed resources.
• Boiler Awakening Retreat Student-led three-day retreat held twice yearly at Lafayette Central Catholic for undergraduate and graduate students to deepen their relationship with Christ and grow in faith community. Costs $50 per student (covers lodging and meals); financial assistance available.
• New Student Overnighter Free retreat-style event for new Purdue students to get connected to Boiler Catholics and meet fellow Catholic students.
• Sunday Night Dinner Community dinner served every Sunday at 5 p.m. when Purdue classes are in session, at $5 per meal, providing fellowship and community building.
• Greater Lafayette Family Shelter Ministry Outreach program serving families at the Greater Lafayette Family Shelter for two designated weeks each semester (currently October and December 2026), providing meal preparation and evening companionship on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Active since 2009.
• Haiti Sister-Parish Ministry International outreach supporting sister parish St. Francis Xavier in Baudin, Haiti through school funding, medical clinics, blood pressure treatment programs, agricultural seed distribution, and the Foundations for Haitians cement-floor program. Active for over 30 years; remote-only support since 2020 due to security concerns.
• Music Ministry Liturgical music program including youth choir, schola choir, student-led choirs (Wednesday Night Mass, Sunday Mass, Chant Choir, Exalt), and shared resources for choir members.
• Wedding Preparation Premarital preparation program including FOCCUS premarital inventory processing and mentor couple program; required for couples marrying at the parish.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• Food Finders Food Bank and Lafayette Urban MinistryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2026St. Thomas Aquinas Haiti Ministry participates in the annual Hunger Hike alongside Food Finders Food Bank and Lafayette Urban Ministry to raise awareness and funds for food insecurity locally, regionally, and globally. Hunger Hike 2026 is scheduled for September 20, 2026.
• Diocese of Lafayette-in-IndianacoreOthersSt. Thomas Aquinas operates under the spiritual authority of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana. The Diocese provides safe environment protocols, marriage preparation requirements (FOCCUS, Mentor Couple program), and governance oversight. The parish participates in the Catholic Ministries Appeal.
• Dominican Order (Order of Preachers, OP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe parish is staffed by Dominican friars from the Province of St. Albert the Great. The Dominicans provide all clergy (Fr. Andy McAlpin as Missionary Pastor, Fr. Steve Kuhlmann, Fr. Dennis Woerter, Fr. Joseph Van Havermaet, Fr. Peter Lewitzke) and lead spiritual exercises, retreats, and formation programs. The Dominican Province provided the St. Jude Legacy Grant Fund for the website redesign.
• Greater Lafayette Family SheltermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Thomas Aquinas serves families at the Greater Lafayette Family Shelter for two designated weeks each semester (currently volunteer weeks for October and December 2026). Volunteers provide meal preparation and evening company on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The ministry has been active since 2009.
• St. Francis Xavier Parish, Baudin, HaitimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Thomas Aquinas supports its sister parish in Baudin, Haiti as a decades-long partnership (over 30 years). Programs include school funding, medical clinics, blood pressure treatment, agricultural seed distribution, and the Foundations for Haitians program (cement floors). Remote support has continued since 2020 due to security concerns preventing travel.
• Lafayette Central CatholicminorOthersBoiler Awakening retreats are held twice a year at Lafayette Central Catholic, providing the off-campus venue for the three-day student retreat.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St. Mary's Catholic Center at Texas A&M University: St. Mary's Catholic Center serves the Catholic community at Texas A&M University, providing Mass, sacraments, campus ministry, and faith formation to a large student population. Directly comparable as a Catholic university parish with student-focused programming, a resident family base, and similar multi-priest staffing model at a major public research university.
• St. Paul Catholic Center at Indiana University: St. Paul Catholic Center serves Indiana University students and families in Bloomington, IN, offering Mass, faith formation, and campus ministry. Directly comparable as a Catholic university parish at a fellow Big Ten public university, with a similar student-and-resident-family model and full sacramental programming.
• St. John Vianney Catholic Student Center at University of Illinois: St. John Vianney is the Catholic student center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, providing Catholic worship, formation, and community for students. Directly comparable as a Catholic campus ministry at a Big Ten peer university with similar student demographic and programming depth.
• Newman Catholic Center at University of Wisconsin-Madison: Newman Catholic Center serves UW-Madison students, providing Catholic campus ministry, liturgies, sacraments, and faith formation. Directly comparable as a Catholic university parish and student center at a major Big Ten public university with overlapping student demographics and programming.
• St. Austin Catholic Parish at University of Texas at Austin: St. Austin Catholic Parish serves the University of Texas at Austin community, offering Mass, campus ministry, and Catholic formation to students and resident families. Directly comparable as a Catholic university parish with a dual student-and-resident congregation model and similar programming scope.
• St. Mary Student Parish at University of Michigan: St. Mary Student Parish serves the University of Michigan community in Ann Arbor, providing Catholic worship, formation, and student ministries. Directly comparable as a Catholic university parish at a Big Ten public university with student-focused programming and a similar parish-and-student-center dual identity.
• St. Thomas More Catholic Chapel at UNC Chapel Hill: St. Thomas More Chapel serves the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill community, providing Catholic worship, sacraments, and campus ministry. Directly comparable as a Catholic university parish and student chapel at a major public university with similar student-focused programming.
• St. Thomas More University Parish at Florida State University: St. Thomas More University Parish serves the Florida State University community in Tallahassee, providing Catholic worship, formation, and student ministries. Directly comparable as a Catholic university parish with a dedicated student-accompaniment focus and resident parish community.

Broad incumbents

• Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana: The Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana is the broader Catholic institutional body providing spiritual and administrative oversight to St. Thomas Aquinas. Comparable as the governing ecclesiastical authority that establishes parish policies, safe environment protocols, marriage preparation standards, and the Catholic Ministries Appeal obligation that directly affects the parish's finances and programs.

Others

• eCatholic: eCatholic is the website platform powering boilercatholics.org and the parish's primary digital front door. Comparable as the technology vendor providing core digital infrastructure for the parish's outreach, communications, and registration flows; relevant to peer infrastructure benchmarking for similar Catholic organizations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@boilercatholics535
• Facebookfacebook.com/p/St-Thomas-Aquinas-Catholic-Center-at-Purdue-61577599200887
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-thomas-aquinas---the-catholic-center-at-purdue
• Instagraminstagram.com/boilercatholics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about St. Thomas Aquinas - The Catholic Center at Purdue