University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students and other young adults are served by Panther Catholic, which is getting a new home. (Submitted photo)

The Newman Center serving University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and other young adults is relocating to much larger facilities that include a worship space.

The center will move to the current Chinese Christian Church at the corner of North Downer Avenue and East Kenwood Boulevard, across from the UWM Student Union. Last month, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee purchased the building from the church, which will relocate in the greater Milwaukee area.

“We’re a growing ministry and we have an aging building that is not getting any larger, so we really maxed out our space,” said Fr. Andrew Infanger, the chaplain and director of the Newman Center at UWM.

“It’s right where we want to be. The space is the perfect size for what we need right now, and there’s room to grow.”

The new Newman Center will also be among three others of different denominations on the same block, with two other houses of worship just two blocks away.

“When you’re a student and you think, ‘I think I’m going to try going back to church,’ or you think you’ve heard about church but you’ve never gone and you think, ‘I think I want to try a church,’ that’s where you’re going to look. That’s where we want to be,” Fr. Infanger said.

“If you’re a Catholic student, you’re looking for your Catholic church … our current building does not look like a church.”

The Newman Center at UWM currently resides inside a house, one which Archbishop William E. Cousins dedicated in 1963. Fr. Infanger said that their ministry has far outgrown the building’s capacity, and the move to a true church with a sanctuary offers them the chance to provide Mass for hundreds instead of dozens.

“The chapel would increase from about 1,500 square feet to about 5,000 square feet. That practically would look like going from about 90 people to, when it’s all said and done, about 250 people,” Fr. Infanger said. “It would allow us to do an Easter Vigil and weddings for student alumni. There will be a suitable space and beauty that we currently don’t have. It would allow for handicapped accessibility, which we currently do not have in any shape.”

“The chapel there is visually a very bright chapel, a white, bright chapel, so there’s a certain lightness and an airiness to it that is just inspiring.”

He adds that the new Mass experience will include a traditional church organ, which the current Newman Center does not provide, part of what he sees as an upgrade in the sight and sound of their worship space.

“The acoustics are much nicer. The current building’s fine, but I sometimes liken it to singing into a sock or a room full of cloth. The sound just kind of dies immediately, so let’s just add a touch of beauty to the sound,” Fr. Infanger said.

Some changes will be needed to make the space suitable for Catholic worship.

“It means, at the beginning, putting in a permanent tabernacle and a permanent, immovable altar,” Fr. Infanger said, adding that a temporary altar and tabernacle will be in place in the short term while they search for permanent replacements.

“The altar is why the sanctuary exists, and the church documents ask that altars and the tabernacle are fixed, immovable things,” he said. “We are currently putting together a plan for restoration and beautification of the church, and that’s in process.”

He shared that the basement space will also provide much more ample space for the dinners that Panther Catholic organizes.

“It allows us to serve the 70 students who came to dinner last Tuesday. They could all eat in a really awesome cafe space. Imagine a Colectivo Coffee, a Stone Creek Coffee, one of those cool spots where you get all your students in one place, instead of having people crammed in entryways, climbing over each other, blocking the bathrooms,” he said.

The new building will also offer three dedicated study and small group spaces and lends itself to new opportunities for events with up to 200 people such as conferences, concerts and dances.

While the timeline hasn’t been officially set for move-in, he says that help will be needed for the move and cleaning the new space, along with furniture donations.

Fr. Infanger believes this entire process has been one that unveils God’s providential presence.

“The project has seemingly unfolded itself. The money to purchase the building came from the Faith in Our Future Fund, the previous capital campaign. The people who are helping me —  I’ve not sought anyone out; they just show up,” he says.

“I’m kidding a little bit, but it’s almost like God is just doing it and I have to kind of get out of the way.”

There are many ways to support Panther Catholic. Needs include prayers for the ministry’s mission, parishioners to help cook Tuesday evening meals, monetary donations that can be made at panthercatholic.com/donate, and donations of gently used furniture such as couches, lamps and bookshelves for the new building.

For any of these, please contact Fr. Infanger at fatherandrew@panthercatholic.com.

Go to youtube.com/@PantherCatholic to see short videos about what Panther Catholic offers.