3650 Colonel Glenn Highway
Fairborn, Ohio 45324
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 addition to our Sunday Masses, we hold weekday Masses Tuesday through Friday, 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.
For 11 years, students from Catholic Campus Ministry had 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. This connection is why our chapel is named after St. John Bosco.