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| In 1962, Bishop Henry Soenneker (2nd bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro) had a vision to serve the needs of the Catholic students and faculty at Western Kentucky University. To begin the project, the diocese acquired the Max Nahm house located at 1403 College Street. The house was renovated to hold a chapel, lounge, recreation room, study rooms and a library, as well as the priest's living quarters. |
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| Bishop Soenneker sent Fr. Bill Allard to be the founder of the Newman Center. Fr. Allard began by making signs and distributing fliers advertising his first service - which attracted a small gathering of students to the newly founded Newman Center. |
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| As Western's enrollment grew, so did Fr. Allard's congregation. The house was no longer adequate for the needs of the students. So, in 1967, the house was torn down and replaced with the current building, which was dedicated on October 27, 1968. |
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| The WKU Catholic Campus Center has been served by six priests since 1962 - Fr. Bill Allard, Fr. Phillip Waters, O.S.B., Fr. Thomas O'Connor, O.S.B., Fr. Raymond Goetz, and Fr. John Little. The Center is currently staffed by Fr. Darrell Venters and Sister Elaine Byrny. |
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| The Center serves the students, faculty, and staff of Western Kentucky University and members of the local community. The Center facility is very functional and we try to give people a comfortable place to pray, study, and relax. We encourage and welcome student involvement. We are proud of our rich history and we look forward to serving the current and future needs of the church. |
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