St. Thomas Aquinas has been functioning at its present site as a Newman Center since 1950, although Catholic campus ministry has been functioning at Purdue since the turn-of-the 20th Century. With a staff of 15 professionals, 12 interns and numerous, regular office volunteers, we seek to serve the 13,000 Catholics at Purdue University and the over 900 registered families and their children.

At our university parish, we have 30 student groups which operate separately but under the umbrella and overall sponsorship of Purdue Catholic Students (PCS). The leaders of these groups form one Ministry Leadership Team under the leadership of the student PCS officers. Leaders from these groups participate regularly in numerous spiritual activities, including daily Mass, Adoration, rosary and retreats. We employ a student-run, staff-facilitated model of ministry, which provides staff advisors to each of these groups from our professional staff.

The current parish mission statement, adopted in 2014:
St. Thomas Aquinas serves as the Catholic Center at Purdue University. Our parish engages the youthful energy of all its members to nurture their faith journey across all generations through liturgy, spiritual and intellectual formation, stewardship, and justice with peace. We joyfully welcome all who wish to meet life’s challenges through lived faith in Jesus Christ.