May 8, 2021

Contract signed for Newman Catholic Center at UMass Amherst

REGIONAL
Story and photo by Sharon Roulier

SPRINGFIELD – Plans to build a new Newman Catholic Center on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst were finalized Tuesday, May 4 with the signing of contracts signifying the go ahead to begin construction.

Springfield Bishop William D. Byrne and Newman Center director, Father Gary Dailey, signed the agreement with Northampton based contractor D.A. Sullivan & Sons, Inc. during an afternoon press conference at the Bishop Marshall Center.

“It’s an exciting day for our students, for our Newman community members and for all the students that have come forward for decades,” said Father Dailey in an interview with Catholic Communications. “I am grateful to the entire team that has gotten us to this point in the contract signing today. It is truly exciting and we look forward to steps beyond this.”

The Newman Catholic Center is located in the heart of the UMass campus in a 58,000-square-foot facility constructed in 1963. The center has provided opportunities for students of the university and the Five College Consortium to worship, study, gather, socialize, and enjoy breakfast all day in the Newman Café.

“This is a gift not only to the students of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, but to the whole church, especially here in western Massachusetts,” said Bishop Byrne during the press conference. “Each year we will be sending out young men and women who will build families, which will build our church and our parishes, young men and women who will follow Christ into religious life. So, I thank God in advance for all the blessings that are going to come from this wonderful construction.”

Last year the center was sold to the University of Massachusetts for $12.5 million and plans were drawn to construct a new center over the next year.

On Wednesday, May 19, Bishop Byrne will celebrate a 12:15 p.m. Mass  at the current Newman Center followed by a 1 p.m. groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction of the new $9 million center. The 19,000-square-foot building will include a chapel, research area with private study rooms, lounges, the Newman Café, administrative offices, a conference room, outdoor gathering and dining spaces, and gardens.

Newman’s capital campaign “Miracles Happen…when Heart Speaks to Heart” was launched this spring. For more information, call the Newman Catholic Center at 413-549-0300.

A video version of this story will be featured tonight on the weekly newsmagazine “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 on WWLP-22NEWS.