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The St. John Paul II Oratory
The Oratory opened Spring 2017 and is a parish for all college students in Omaha. It is open to students for prayer during the hours our building is open.
Sacraments are celebrated here every day.
Parish Information
Mass Times
Sunday: 10:30 a.m. & 8:30 p.m.
Monday: 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 5:30 p.m.
Thursday: 8:30 p.m.
Friday: 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9:30 a.m.
Reconciliation is available 30 minutes before each Mass.
A Holy Hour with Eucharistic Exposition is offered each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday for one hour before the 5:30 Mass.
Occasionally there are changes to our scheduled Mass times. View our calendar for specific daily, weekly, and special Mass times.
Students participate in the liturgy through lectoring, serving, ushering and singing in the choir. Our daily Mass attendance is around 60 people. On Sundays we welcome about 300 people total.
Parish Opportunities
Oratory Features
Our Oratory maintains the modern style of our building, but with many traditional features:
The Holy Family Room
The Holy Family room is a good place to study in the mornings and socialize in the evening. Students can sit by the fire, study in the library, and enjoy puzzles and board games.
Scholastica’s Study and Benedict’s Roost
Students can reserve these rooms for study. Or they can just pop in when they’re available. They are often used also for Bible study.
Over 175 students are in Bible studies through FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). Bible studies consist of students from many universities and ages and they many topics from scripture to virtues to apologetics.
FOCUS missionaries mentor students to lead their own bible studies and invest in their peers for the sake of the Gospel. FOCUS also offers mission trips for students during breaks.
Karol’s Commons
Most of our large group events are in this room. With a large screen and projector, this space is great for movie night, speakers, and there are plenty of tables and seating for study or just hanging out. We host Community Night each week on Thursdays at 9:15 p.m. The events vary but about 100 students come each week! This is a great place to meet students from all over the Metro.
Martha’s Kitchen is in Karol’s Commons. The kitchen can be reserved by any student. Or a student can simply check out the key at the front desk to heat up his or her lunch.
The Courtyard
This is a great place for hanging out in the warmer months. During Durango Days at UNO, we host a large BBQ with a live band for the whole UNO community.
The lawn is where students play spike ball, kick a soccer ball around, or have picnics. Other amenities include the outdoor fire pit and grill for student use.
Our community needs YOU!
Being in the JPII Newman Community allows you to surround yourself with other students of similar faith and values. We offer dedicated study and prayer spaces, and a host of activities such as Bible studies, guest speakers, daily Mass, service trips and more. Here, you can stay connected to your peers and grow in your faith. You can also live here at Newman Hall, affordable, apartment-style housing.
Parking at our center is free. Access to campus is as easy as hopping on the UNO shuttle (which stops right at our front door!) or riding your bike to the Dodge and Scott campuses for your classes, recreation and meals.
Apartment Information
We offer both 2 and 4-bedroom style apartments. Most leases are 12 month leases. But some seniors opt to sign 9 month leases. Floors are accessible by stairs or the elevator.
Each of our apartments is fully furnished, with separate entry via keycard for the apartment and keys for each bedroom. Each room is equipped with:
Floor Information
1st and 3rd floors are for the guys. 2nd and 4th are for the ladies. Resident Assistants (RAs) are assigned to each floor. To access any floor, keycards are required, with limitations after midnight.
