About Us
"Heart speaks to heart"- St. John Henry Newman, Newman's patron
Located in the heart of the campus of UMass Amherst, the Newman Catholic Center shines on Thatcher Rd. - the site of our new Center constructed in 2023.
Our Center and its staff are dedicated to the students of UMass Amherst & visiting students from the Five College Consortium (Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Amherst & Hampshire Colleges). Our service to these students includes spiritual, enrichment, community involvement, counseling and recreational.
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This ministry serves through a variety of events, liturgies and devotionals arranged by our student organizations: the Esselen Peer Ministers, the Newman Catholic Student Association and through the guidance and assistance of our FOCUS Missionaries.
Our Executive Director is Fr. Valentine Nworah. Fr. Valentine also ministers to the parish community of St. Brigid's in Amherst as Administrator. Deacon Thomas Lynch is our resident Deacon and assists in all ministries of both Newman and St. Brigid's.
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Along with our ministry to the students of UMass Amherst Newman also serves the faculty, staff and guests of the University.
Meet The Team
Fr. Valentine Nworah
Director
v.nworah@diospringfield.org
413-549-0300, ext. 101
Fr. Onyekachukwu Valentine Nworah (Fr. Val) was born Sept. 18 in the southeastern part of Nigeria. He is from a family of 4 boys and 2 girls. With the exception of his father who transitioned into eternal delight in January 2020, about 6 months before his priestly ordination, his mother and other siblings are still with us. He's fluent in Igbo, French and English Languages. He has a common knowledge of some other languages including Spanish. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Joseph Mukasa Philosophical Institute in Yaounde, Cameroon; a Certificate in Religious Studies from Siena Heights University in Adrian, Michigan; and a Masters Degree in Divinity from St John’s Seminary, Brighton class of 2020 and was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest on August, 15 2020 (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) for the Diocese of Springfield. He also spent some time in Rwanda and Kenya.
Deacon Tom Lynch
Deacon on Staff
Deacon Tom was ordained in June of 2015. Growing up in eastern Massachusetts he graduated from Boston College with degrees in Classics and Philosophy. He received a Masters of Public Administration from Baruch College in New York and a Masters of Applied Theology from Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee. He served in the US army Military Police Corps for ten years with the rank of major before spending 35 yrs in healthcare security and emergency management. He retired after 21 years as the Director of Security at Baystate Health in Springfield. Tom has 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren. Deacon Tom and his wife Linda have been members of the Newman Community for over twenty years.
Paulina Ortiz Orive
Administration and Development Coordinator
newmansecretary@diospringfield.org
413-549-0300, ext. 104
Paulina is a recent graduate from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Class of 2025. Originally from Guatemala City, she moved to New England in 2021 to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Communication and a Master's in Business Analytics. She has been actively involved with the Newman Center since the start of her college journey, serving as both a Bible study leader and a Peer Minister for over two years. She also worked in Public Relations for the Augustinians of the Assumption, participating in mission trips to El Paso, TX, and attending international pilgrimages such as World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. Now based in the Hartford area, she is an active member of St. Mary's in Simsbury, CT. Paulina is excited to step into her new role as Director of Development and Administrative Assistant. Don’t hesitate to reach out, she’s always happy to chat about all things Newman!
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Michael McLaughlin
Music Director
Michael McLaughlin is a graduate student at UMass studying Choral Conducting. With family roots in Maine, he grew up in Rhode Island and Connecticut before moving to Virginia in 2016. He graduated from Washington and Lee University in 2023 with a BS in Vocal Performance and a minor in education. He is excited to be back in New England with his wife, Heidi, to continue his studies.
Michael has been working in sacred music since 2017, first through a sacred music apprenticeship, then as a Choral Scholar and Assisting Music Minister. During this time, he also worked in campus ministry, and is excited to continue working with students at the Newman Center through student choir initiatives. Please reach out to Michael about joining the choir, and all other musical inquiries.
Nancy Garcia
Director of Religious Education
Nancy Garcia is a bilingual speech-language pathologist in the Northampton School District and third year PhD student in the department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focuses on exploring the language use and preferences of Latino Spanish- English speaking autistic youth through a range of sociolinguistic environments and communication partners. Nancy joined the Amherst Catholic Community in Fall 2023 and has since served as a confirmation teacher and youth group coordinator following the charisma of the Salesian of Saint Don Bosco. She has experience in youth ministry and migrant ministry through the dioceses of NYC and Rochester.
Ralu Ibekwe
Building Manager
newmanbuildingmanager@diospringfield.org
413-549-0300 Ext. 106
Born and raised in Nigeria, Ralu is an alumnus of the University of Massachusetts, where he earned an MBA and a Master’s in Business Analytics from the Isenberg School of Management. He has a strong background in marketing and business development, with experience in the biopharma and life sciences industries. Outside of work, Ralu enjoys reading and spending quality time with family and friends.
Lary Grossman
Business Manager
Lary takes care of Newman's financial affairs and ensures that we are being good stewards of all our gifts.