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In the Beginning...
Catholic Campus Ministry has been at Wright State University since 1968. We believe that the “Newman Catholic Student Association,” our student organization, was the first recognized student organization at WSU. Originally, Mass was celebrated in the lounge of Hamilton Hall, the
first residence Hall at Wright State. The first CCM building was built during the winter of 1971-72 by Fr. Michael Raume, SM, and students from a vacation home kit purchased for $30,000 from the Pease Company in Hamilton, Ohio.Catholic Campus Ministry is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The employees are employed by the Archdiocese and not the University. The land on which the current Chapel sits was originally owned by the Fred and Virginia Eisert family. Having sold some of their land to AM Management and WSU, the Eiserts wished to set aside some land for a Catholic Ministry. The land was leased by the Archdiocese originally, but was purchased in 1979.
Fr. Chris Rohmiller was the Director of Campus Ministry for almost 12 years, before he passed away suddenly in 2006. He began the long process of designing a new chapel for the growing population of Catholics on campus. Six years after his death, the new chapel was finally complete and dedicated as the St. John Bosco Chapel. The Rohmiller lounge was named in his honor in gratitude for his years of ministry and service to this community.Community and Worship
In the early days, our student numbers were fairly small, as was the number of students at the University. Students were primarily commuters then, and continued to worship at their home parishes. In recent years, however, the number of Wright State students has grown, and the number of students living away from home has grown even faster. As this has happened, our numbers have grown greatly. In 1987, for example, only 30 students attended Sunday Mass on average. Today, we hold two Masses each Sunday with an average total attendance of nearly 200 students. Over 700 students have self-identified themselves as interested in our programs. It is estimated that there are over 4,000 Catholic students at Wright State. Of course, this does not begin to estimate the number of Catholic faculty and staff.
In addition to our Sunday Masses, we hold weekday Masses Monday through Thursday, which attract 30-50 students on average. Each Wednesday night is our "Bosco Night." This is a time for the student community especially to gather for fellowship and learning. Students are actively involved in planning and running these nights.
In 2016, a College Council of the Knights of Columbus was established.
ServiceWe have two major service opportunities we offer to students. For the past 11 years, students from Catholic Campus Ministry have spent two weeks of their Winter break working at the St. John Bosco Home for Boys in Mandeville, Jamaica. Working with the Sisters of Mercy who run the home and the professional staff, 20 of our students spend the two weeks providing a Bible Camp, a Music Camp and a Sports Camp. Others take care of building and maintenance projects that are a constant feature of such a place.
The second trip is to either Glenmary Farm or Nazareth Farm in appalacha. For the past couple of years a second group of students has given some of their Winter break in service work. At “The Farm,” students participate with the Glenmary Home Missioners in ministering to rural Appalachia, and in so doing learn about Appalachian culture, ecumenism, simplicity in living, and being Catholic in an area with less than 1% of the population shares their creed.