The Newman Center at St. Agatha-St. James

What The Newman Center at St. Agatha-St. James does

The Newman Center at St. Agatha-St. James, operating as the Penn Catholic Newman Center, is a 501(c)(3) Catholic campus ministry nonprofit (Tax ID: 23-1381391) affiliated with St. Agatha-St. James Parish within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Established in 1893, it is the oldest Newman Center in the United States and served as the model for more than 2,000 Newman Centers nationwide. The organization serves students at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, plus the surrounding University City neighborhood, through a comprehensive "Encounter-Grow-Serve" programming model. Core offerings include Sunday and daily Mass, the sacrament of Confession, small groups and Bible studies, weekly Newman Dinners, multiple retreat programs (NOVUS freshman retreat, Awakening fall retreat, Spring retreat, leadership retreat), the ESTEEM senior capstone program, Music Ministry, Service programs (Homeless Outreach, Peru mission trips), Intercultural Ministry with language-specific Masses (Filipino, Spanish, Korean, Intercultural), and the ALIVE Graduate Student/Young Adult group. Physical operations span two Philadelphia locations at 111 S 38th St (Third Floor) and 3728 Chestnut St.

The organization employs 11-50 staff including a Pastor (Fr. Remigio Morales), Newman Director (Patrick Travers), Parochial Vicar (Fr. Michael Gokie), Communications Director, Development Director and Manager, Music Director, Office Manager, and multiple FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionaries. Technology infrastructure is minimal and operational rather than differentiating: a Squarespace-hosted website, Venmo payment processing (@saints-aj), and Bloomerang for merchandise commerce. No proprietary technology, AI capabilities, or software products are developed or sold.

The revenue model is donation-based with multiple streams: Heart to Heart monthly recurring giving, one-time online donations, planned giving instruments (bequests, charitable gift annuities, retirement beneficiary designations) through the Newman Legacy Society (est. 2024), Newman Gear merchandise sales (t-shirts at $15, sweatshirts at $30, naming bricks at $250), and tiered Class Gift pledges ($5/month and $26/month). Primary customer segments are Penn undergraduates (primary), graduate and professional students (primary), parents and families (secondary), alumni (secondary), and international/intercultural students (secondary). Go-to-market relies on community-led word-of-mouth, campus orientation presence (NOVUS pre-orientation), FOCUS missionary campus outreach, alumni referrals, and organic social media (@penncatholic on Instagram).

Name

The Newman Center at St. Agatha-St. James

Legal name

St. Agatha-St. James Parish & Newman Center

Website

https://newman.upenn.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Newman Center at St. Agatha-St. James is the oldest Catholic campus ministry in the United States (est. 1893), serving University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University students through Mass, faith communities, retreats, service, and intercultural ministries, funded primarily through donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catholic Campus Ministry

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Catholic campus ministry
• Faith formation programs
• Spiritual retreats
• University ministry services
• Community worship services

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Tithes: The primary revenue source is donations from current students, alumni, parents, and supporters. The Heart to Heart Giving Society is the center's monthly online giving program supporting operational needs including student organizations, retreats, and facility costs.
2. Planned Giving: The center accepts planned gifts including bequests in wills, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance, charitable gift annuities, and real estate donations. The Newman Legacy Society honors individuals who have made long-term commitments.
3. Merchandise Sales: The Newman Gear store sells branded merchandise including t-shirts ($15), sweatshirts ($30), hoodies ($30), and naming bricks ($250) for the new Newman park.
4. Class Gift Program: Annual class gift campaigns invite alumni to pledge monthly recurring gifts with incentive rewards like dedicated bricks or Newman merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Newman Center at St. Agatha-St. James provides Catholic campus ministry services to the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University communities, including weekly Mass and sacraments, faith formation through small groups and Bible studies, community-building dinners, multi-day retreats, senior capstone formation (ESTEEM), missionary service trips, intercultural ministries, and music ministry. Core offerings are free to student participants and supported by donations, planned giving, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Newman Center at St. Agatha-St. James (Penn Catholic Newman Center) is a Catholic campus ministry serving the University of Pennsylvania since 1893, offering a comprehensive portfolio of faith formation programs and community services. The core offerings center on Encounter-Grow-Serve programming: Mass & Confession services, Small Groups/Bible Studies, and Newman Dinners provide regular community engagement; retreats (NOVUS Freshman Retreat, Leadership Retreat, Awakening Fall Retreat, Spring Retreat) offer intensive spiritual formation; the ESTEEM Senior Program prepares students for post-college Catholic life; Music Ministry supports liturgical worship; Service Programs including Homeless Outreach and Mission Trips enable apostolic service; Intercultural Ministry serves diverse cultural communities; and Prayer & Adoration provides daily contemplative opportunities. The center also operates Newman Gear merchandise (sweatshirts, t-shirts, hoodies, naming bricks) as a fundraising mechanism.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NOVUS Freshman Retreat A Catholic pre-orientation retreat for incoming freshmen students held each August before New Student Orientation, providing early move-in, community building, and faith formation for incoming Penn students.
• Small Groups and Bible Studies Weekly faith-sharing groups including FOCUS Bible Study, Young Adults/Graduate Students groups, Athlete Groups, and Latino Small Groups for community and spiritual growth among Penn and Drexel students.
• Newman Dinners Weekly all-you-can-eat community meals held every Thursday at 6pm following 5:30pm Mass, featuring signature chicken parm; designed to build community among students.
• Retreat Programs Seasonal retreats including Leadership Retreat, Awakening Fall Retreat, Spring Retreat, and annual SEEK Conference participation for intensive spiritual formation.
• ESTEEM Senior Capstone Program Senior capstone program preparing students for life as Catholics after college through monthly formation meetings, mentorship, retreat, and weekend conference.
• Music Ministry Liturgical music program providing choir, cantors, pianists, and instrumentalists for all three Sunday Masses with varying musical styles, including the annual Carols by Candlelight event.
• Service Programs Community service opportunities including Homeless Outreach (Christ in the City), Mission Trips (annual Peru trip with Creatio partnership), and leadership teams.
• Intercultural Ministry Multicultural ministry serving international and diverse cultural communities through language-specific Saturday evening Masses (Filipino, Spanish, Korean, Intercultural) and cultural small groups.
• Prayer and Adoration Personal prayer (7am-10pm daily) and structured Eucharistic Adoration sessions including weekday and Thursday evening main church sessions.
• Newman Gear Merchandise Online store selling branded merchandise including sweatshirts ($30), t-shirts ($15), hoodies ($30), and naming bricks ($250) for the new Newman park, as a fundraising mechanism.
• Mass and Confession Services Sunday Mass schedule (9am, 11:30am, 5:30pm), Saturday Vigils, Daily Mass, and Confessions 30 minutes before each Sunday Mass, delivered at the parish and Newman Center.
• ALIVE Grad Student and Young Adult Group Weekly Wednesday evening gatherings for graduate students and young adults featuring formation, fellowship, and spiritual development activities, including the Catholic Wharton Club and Catholic law student groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grown from approximately 100 to 340+ students in weekly small groups over recent years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOCUS missionaries serve as integral members of the Newman team, providing professional campus evangelization. They run Bible studies, mentorship programs, discipleship groups, mission trips, conferences, and community events. The partnership has enabled tripling of small group participation, with missionaries helping host weekly Bible studies for men and women and supporting student leadership development.
• CreatiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreatio partners with Penn Newman for annual winter mission trips to Peru. Students travel with Creatio team members to engage in service work including building clean cookstoves and catechism instruction. The partnership provides formation opportunities for students to encounter Christ through service and cross-cultural experience.
• Archdiocese of PhiladelphiacoreOthersThe Newman Center is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The Archdiocese broadcasts Sunday Mass on television through WPVI-TV Channel 6, allowing homebound parishioners to participate in worship.
• University of PennsylvaniacoreOthersThe Newman Center serves as the official Catholic campus ministry for Penn students, operating in partnership with the university's commitment to diverse religious life on campus.
• Drexel UniversityminorOthersThe Newman Center also serves students from Drexel University, extending Catholic campus ministry to neighboring community members.
• Santander BankminorOthersFree parking is available for all Sunday Masses in the Santander Bank parking lot across the street from the church, supporting accessibility for attendees.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS): National Catholic campus ministry that places trained missionaries at universities to lead Bible studies, mentorship, discipleship, and student events. It is a core strategic partner of the Newman Center and is highly comparable in target audience and delivery, although it is not a local competitor.

Direct peers

• St. Isidore's Catholic Student Center: Catholic student center serving Kansas State University with Mass, faith formation, student groups, retreats, and service activities. Its university-centered Catholic community and donor-supported model are directly comparable.
• St. John's Catholic Newman Center: Catholic Newman Center serving the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign through worship, student organizations, formation, retreats, and service. It is a direct operating comparable because it serves a similar student population at a large secular university.
• St. Paul's Catholic Center: Catholic student center and parish serving Indiana University Bloomington with liturgical, educational, service, retreat, and student-community programs. Its campus location and integrated parish-student mission are directly comparable to the Penn Catholic Newman Center.
• St. Austin Catholic Parish: Catholic parish providing campus ministry, worship, formation, retreats, and student groups near the University of Texas at Austin. It addresses a comparable student need set at another large secular university.
• Penn Hillel: Jewish student-life organization serving University of Pennsylvania students through worship, small groups, leadership, social, and educational programs. It is the closest functional peer because it engages the same campus population through a highly similar community model, despite serving a different faith.
• Newman Catholic Center at the University of Georgia: Catholic campus ministry serving University of Georgia students through worship, small groups, retreats, service, and student leadership. It is a direct peer in the same Newman-campus category and serves a comparable secular-university population.
• St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and Student Center: Catholic parish and student center serving the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with Mass, faith formation, student groups, service, and community programs. Its direct service to students at a secular public university closely parallels the Newman Center's campus-ministry model.
• St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue: Catholic parish and student center serving Purdue University with Mass, student organizations, spiritual formation, service, and community events. Its blended parish and campus-ministry structure closely matches the subject company's operating model.
• St. Mary's Catholic Student Center: Catholic parish and student center serving Iowa State University in Ames through worship, campus ministry, formation, and student programs. It offers the same combination of parish services and university-focused outreach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/24536074259361188
• Instagraminstagram.com/penncatholic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newman-center-st-agatha-st-james

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 The Newman Center at St. Agatha-St. James