Our History

Catholic Campus Ministry at Tulane began when informal efforts to bring Catholic students together in the late 1930s gradually developed into the formation of a Newman Club.  The club received recognition from the university and the archdiocese in 1943.  Fr. Robert E. Tracy (future founding bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge) was appointed by Archbishop Rummel as the first chaplain.  Fr. Gerald Frey, another future bishop, followed him.  In 1950, Fr. James Benedict was appointed as chaplain.  Under his leadership the Audubon Tea Room, at the corner of Zimple and Audubon, was purchased in 1954 and converted into the Catholic Student Center.

In 1966 the Catholic Center was entrusted to the Dominican Friars who continue serving at Tulane to this day.  Fr. Val McInnes, OP, was the first Dominican to serve at Tulane and during his tenure the Catholic Center was established as the university parish of St. Thomas More.  In collaboration with Tulane professor and future university provost, Dr. Frank Birtel, he established the Chair of Judaeo-Christian studies in 1979.  Father McInnes left a lasting legacy at the Catholic Center and it is in his honor that the new Center is named: The Father Val Ambrose McInnes, OP, Center for Catholic Life.  After Fr. Val came a long line of friars who served at Tulane bringing with them the richness of the intellectual and preaching tradition of the Dominican Order.

In April 2008, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina the archdiocese decided that St. Thomas More would no longer be a parish and would return to its original status as a university Catholic student center.  By 2009 it had also become obvious that the existing building was, in the words of Archbishop Gregory Aymond, "woefully inadequate" for the needs of a Catholic campus ministry at an institution like Tulane.  A campaign for a new building was soon underway.

Further development in the ministry came when, in August of 2012 under the direction of Fr. Charlie Johnson, OP, the Center began collaborating with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) to better minister to the students of Tulane University. 

After many starts and stops through the years, including Hurricane Katrina, a capital campaign––"Renewed in Faith"––began and raised over $3.1 million toward the new center. The new Center, built in the same location as the original, comes as a result of nearly 20 years of planning and fundraising and is a testament to the committment of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Dominican friars, and the local faith community to the Catholic presence at Tulane University.  In November 2019 Archbishop Gregory Aymond consecrated the new chapel of St. Martin de Porres, given by Gayle and Tom Benson, inside the center.  It now serves as the primary worship space for Tulane Catholics.

Today the Center reaches out to the Catholic students on campus, faculty and staff, as well as all people of good will at Tulane in order to fulfill its mission of helping college students grow together into the saints they are called to be (read more about our mission). 

Fr. Robert E. Tracy

Fr. Gerald Frey

Fr. James Benedict

Fr. Bernard Dauenhauer

Fr. Valentine A. McInnes, OP

Fr. Fr. Gilbert Roxburgh, OP

Fr. Brian Donovan, OP

Fr. R.B. Williams, OP

Fr. Robert Barry, OP

Fr. Matthew Powell, OP

Fr. Patrick Reid, OP

Fr. Terence Davis, OP

Fr. Daniel Morriessey, OP

Fr. Matt O’Conner, OP

Fr. Jerry Malizia, OP

Fr. Chris Dunphy, OP

Fr. Tom Condon, OP

Fr. Scott O’Brien, OP

Fr. Armando Ibáñez, OP

Fr. Marcelo Solórzano, OP

Fr. John Boll, OP

Fr. Paul Watkins, OP

Fr. Carl Trutter, OP

Fr. José David Padilla, OP 

Fr. John Lydon, OP 

Fr. Charlie Johnson, OP 

Fr. Thomas Schaefgen, OP 

Fr. Thomas More Barba, OP