SWOSU Catholic Student Center works to expand ministry efforts

The Southwestern Oklahoma State University, SWOSU, Catholic Student Center has provided support to Catholic students for several decades. For years, the facility has been addressing the spiritual and academic needs of the students and is now moving to increase that ministry, as they are not only finishing renovations of a current building but plan to construct a new building to reach out to more students for years to come.

Father Kelly Edwards is the pastor at Saint Eugene Catholic Church in Weatherford, and serves as the director of the Catholic Student Ministries as well, although the campus ministry is separated from the parish and operates independently.

“We have about 10 – 15 students right now, but there are more Catholic students on campus,” Father Edwards said. “The numbers are small right now but we’re going to increase this with what we have going.”

SWOSU has a well-known pharmacy school, attracting students from many states, but most are from Oklahoma.

“We have students from Oregon, Texas, but of course most are from Oklahoma,” Father Edwards explained.

Father Kelly said the ministry has been equipping Catholic students for many years, but it was located several blocks off-campus, which made it difficult for students to be able to easily visit the facility while also trying to attend classes or complete homework.

“The campus ministry has been going for 40 to 50 years, but it was pretty small when I got here four to five years ago,” he said. “They used to have a house near campus in the 1980s, and that was a while ago.”

The campus ministry is trying to move in a new direction with the new building, which is only a block south on Custer Street. 

“Most students recognize it as one block south of Ratcliffe Bookstore,” Father Edwards said. “They’ve been there for quite a while.”

The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City was instrumental in the new campus facility, having purchased the lot for the ministry. It was named after Saint Maximilian Kolbe, whose Feast Day is Aug. 14.

“The archdiocese bought the property for us Aug. 14, 2020,” Father Edwards said. “It took about another year to determine what to do with it.”

The property at the time contained two buildings. A larger building was deemed dilapidated and had to be demolished, but a smaller structure showed promise if it were renovated.

“There was a much larger building on the site that was too old to be able to be used, so we demolished that building,” Father Edwards said. “There is a side building we renovated, and we are using that.” 

The ministry found new space for student activities once the older building was torn down. Activities include grilling on a cool evening, athletic activities and simply enjoying one another’s company.

“With the removal of the building, there is a much larger space for students to gather, whether that be for studying or just having fun together,” Father Edwards commented.

There has also been better student outreach with the renovated building, such as a shared meal, Bible study, homework or simply fellowshipping with one another, especially as Catholic students.

“We want students to have a nice recreational space to come and spend time,” Father Edwards said. “We do have meals, Rosary and other Catholic activities, too. The students are often here at night studying.”

The renovation project is only partially completed, as a new building is planned for the empty space vacated by the demolished structure. The campus ministry is still raising funds to realize their vision. Funds for the building project were obtained through fundraising. Gifts came from some parishioners from Saint Eugene and some of the funds came from the archdiocese.

“We don’t have a timeline yet. We have some architecture plans, and we will do fundraising for those plans,” Father Edwards said. 

Once finished, it will provide a gathering space for SWOSU’s Catholic students to come together for fellowship – just one block from campus.

“The facility will provide a place to pray together and spend time together. It’ll be space for them outside the dorms, right off campus,” Father Edwards said.

Everett Brazil is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic. 


Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Catholic Student Center
Fr. Kelly Edwards, Chaplain
620 Custer St.
Weatherford, OK 73096
swosucatholic.org