St. Thomas Aquinas Purdue

History

Purdue Catholic Campus Ministry began in 1906 when the Catholic Club was founded. Students traveled across the Wabash River to attend services at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Lafayette. The Newman Club was chartered in 1927. In 1928, Reverend Leo Pursley was assigned as associate pastor of St. Mary’s Church and to work with Purdue students.

In the late 1940's, Fr. Thomas Heilman had a vision to establish a student center at Purdue University to serve the spiritual needs of Catholics attending Purdue University. Bishop John Bennett dedicated St. Thomas Aquinas Center as a Catholic student chapel at Purdue University on April 9, 1951. Fr. Heilman’s vision called for adequate space and facilities for programs, faith sharing, and for social as well as educational activities. What started as a small dinner in Bishop Bennett's home turned into the beginning pledges towards a Catholic Chapel at Purdue. St. Mary's parishioners fundraised $275,000 to build St. Thomas Aquinas. The St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel was dedicated in 1951, so Purdue students finally had their own church and meeting rooms. Bishop Bennett made Father Thomas Heilman the students' vicar. The Sunday Visitor Foundation's grant and a Cathedral Appeal enabled Bishop Bennett to purchase the State Street property. With the 1957 advent of Father Leo Piguet and his associate, Father Leo Haigerty, a Notre Dame University credit course was developed. St. Thomas Aquinas became the preferred name in 1962. Communion breakfasts, group meetings, lectures and social gatherings met in Newman Hall. In 1963, adjacent property was purchased. Bishop John Carberry dedicated the expanded St. Thomas Aquinas Church on May 3, 1964. The design that provided a seating capacity of 1,100 received the first-place award for church renovation from the North American Liturgical Conference in 1964. Area residents' participation, especially the Cathedral Christian Family Movement's parties in the 1960's, enriched the already diverse parish. Two or three priests met the needs of its several thousand members.

Gold Lercaro Medal

In 1964, the North American Liturgical Conference awarded St. Thomas Aquinas Church first place in the architectural competition. Architect Elliott Brenner, A.I.A., was given the Gold Lercaro Medal and a check for $1000 by the Spaeth Foundation of New York City. The award was based on sanctuary design. "Architectural Award Presented to Saint Thomas Aquinas Center". Purdue Catholic Alumni Newsletter. West Lafayette, IN. July 1965. 

Fr. Patrick Baikauskas, OP

Father Patrick Baikauskas, OP was assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas in January 2008 and became Pastor and Director of Campus Ministry in 2010. He was born the youngest of four boys in Crete, Illinois, a small town near the Indiana border. He has a BA in Political Science from Bradley University, and a history working in government under three Illinois governors. When he embraced God’s call to the priesthood in 2001, he was accepted to the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans, and studied at the Aquinas Institute of Theology until 2007. Since beginning his Dominican life at St. Tom’s, he has seen the beginning of several new ministries. With a palpable passion for Christian charity, Father Patrick has traveled with teams across the country helping relief efforts in the South and Appalachia through Habitat for Humanity and other community based organizations and further still, to Haiti and Cuba, an ongoing mission deep at the heart of the parish of St. Tom’s. Closer to home he is active in fundraising for the Greater Lafayette Hunger Hike, and Purdue’s Polar Plunge, for which he is famously named the top fundraiser for 2013. He is known to be very focused, and dedicated to each person, or community endeavor God’s puts before him. Fr. Patrick says, “I’m living a dream. To be called to serve’s God children at a place like Saint Thomas Aquinas is an extraordinary blessing. It could only be accomplished because we have extraordinary team of dedicated professionals who give their all every day of the year.” Fr. Patrick was also recently selected to be one of Pope Francis's Missionaries of Mercy. Fr. Patrick stated: "God’s love and mercy are greater than we possibly can imagine. When I first heard about it, I thought it would be a wonderful thing in recognition of what we have done to promote the sacrament of reconciliation. I truly had no idea that I would be one of a mere 125 from the United States."

Lafayette Urban Ministry

Together with Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM), in 1984, St. Thomas Aquinas established Lafayette's first emergency shelter for the homeless. LUM benefits from Hunger Hike, which St. Tom's is a big supporter of.

Hunger Hike

St. Tom's also participates in the Hunger Hike each year, which raises awareness for and benefits the Fight Against Hunger. It was the top church fundraiser for 2015. 2015's Hunger Hike surpassed the $100,000 goal, which helps groups around Lafayette to fight hunger right here in the Greater Lafayette area.

How-To Festival

The How-To Festival of Greater Lafayette is hosted at St. Tom's each year and gathers a committee of students and residents to plan and reach out to the community for presenters. The purpose is for people of all backgrounds to learn a new skill, while appreciating those who are able to teach it to them. From How To Swing Dance to Tie a Bow Tie to Bake with Healthy Veggies, the How-To Festival has something for everyone!

Fr. George Hagmaier

In November 1965, Fr. George Hagmaier, author and radio panelist, came to Newman Hall to speak on "Myths and Realities in Sex." His goal was to discuss the relation between sexual and personality development under present campus pressures.

Robert L. Short

Robert L. Short, the author of "The Gospel According to Peanuts", a theological interpretation of Charles M. Schultz's comic strip, came to speak on his work and highlight it with cartoons. Topics included original sin, which was a constantly dramatized theme in Charlie Brown.

Dennis J. McCarthy

Rev. Dennis J. McCarthy came to Newman Hall in October 1965 to discuss trusting the Bible. He wrote "Treat and Covenant: A Study in Form in the Ancient Near Eastern Documents and in the Old Testament."

Notable People