What is a newman club?
A Newman Club is a Catholic community established on non-Catholic college campuses throughout the US. Clubs like ours are established to support students spiritually, to help them grow in their faith, and to make friends through community bonding activities. Everyone is welcome, whether you are Catholic or non-Catholic. If you are looking to learn more about the Catholic faith, or are just looking for a supportive community, the Cal Poly Pomona Newman Club is here for you! No matter where you are on your journey, you will find a place to belong, grow, and connect.
WHO IS ST. JOHN HENRY NEWMAN?
Our club is named after St. John Henry Newman, a brilliant English theologian, academic, and writer. He is considered one of the greatest theologians since Thomas Aquinas, according to Bishop Robert Barron.
St. John Henry Newman was born in 1801 to an Anglican family. He became an Anglican priest in 1825, but later converted to Catholicism in 1846. He wrote many influential books on theology, philosophy, and education, such as Apologia Pro Vita Sua, The Idea of a University, and Grammar of Assent.
In his work The Idea of a University, St. John Henry Newman argued that faith and reason belong together in education. He believed that forming the heart is just as important as forming the mind, and that a complete education should nurture both. His vision inspired many Catholic Newman communities throughout universities, including ours.
St. John Henry Newman passed away in 1890. He was canonized a saint by Pope Francis in 2019. In 2025, Pope Leo XIV declared him a Doctor of the Church. This rare title, given to only 38 saints throughout history, recognizes his extraordinary contributions to theology, education, and the life of the Church.
His legacy inspired the establishment of the Newman Ministry, with the first Newman center opening at the University of Pennsylvania in 1893. Although we are not a Newman center, we are still a college community who honors the legacy of St. John Henry Newman. All these Newman communities exist to be a spiritual home for college students seeking to grow in the faith, build community, and live with purpose.
Cal Poly Pomona Catholic Newman Club 