Franciscan University of Steubenville celebrated the grand opening of its new Franciscan Center for Evangelization and Renewal on May 17.

Located less than a mile from campus, the Franciscan Center for Evangelization and Renewal occupies a beautifully renovated 16,000-square-foot former medical building at 114 Brady Circle East. It’s now home to the Catechetical Institute, Steubenville Conferences, Institute for Diaconate Renewal, School of Spiritual Direction, and Parish Renewal Ministry—uniting these efforts under one roof for the first time.

During the grand opening, Franciscan University President Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, said the new center is a physical sign of the great work God is doing at Franciscan University, as well as within the larger community.

“We live in a culture and society that constantly needs evangelization and needs renewal,” Father Pivonka said. “It’s not just a building for a building’s sake but it’s for something greater than us” because it’s “ultimately about building the kingdom of God.”

“Any opportunity that we have to be able to expand the Lord’s kingdom, encounter people, and invite them into a new relationship with Christ is our desire at Franciscan University,” he said.

Vice President of Outreach and Evangelization Mark Joseph said the new building is “an incredible blessing” and will allow their 30 team members to collaborate more easily as they continue to build up and renew the Church in new ways.

“Given Father Dave’s vision and what we feel is our calling, we want to take what we’ve been so blessed with for the last 45-plus years on our campus and through our outreach out into parishes in dioceses,” Joseph said. “We want to serve the leaders of those parishes and their parishioners, availing them of everything Franciscan University has to offer.”

The grand opening also included a blessing of the building, ribbon-cutting ceremony, and tours.

For more information on Franciscan University’s evangelistic conferences and resources, visit steubenvilleconferences.com.