Welcome to the website of St. Catherine of Siena parish–  the Newman Center at Drake University and the Catholic Student Center in Des Moines.
I believe “St. Kate’s” is a good place to grow spiritually. There are many opportunities:

• to Worship           (to find God through the Heart),
• to Learn               (to find God through the Head),
• and to Serve        (to find God through the Hands).

We have a special focus on the college community here in Des Moines.  However, our parish is open to all those who share our concern for students and wish to assist them in their journey.  Together we strive to help each other to grow into the gift that was given to us at baptism when we became

• children of the Father,
• sisters and brothers of the Son,
• and temples of the Holy Spirit.

If you live in the area and are looking for a church home, I invite you to explore our parish.  And I encourage you to get involved.  It is far more interesting and rewarding doing Christianity than merely watching it.  We invite you to stretch and grow into your full potential as a disciple of the Lord Jesus, the Hope of the World.
If you are a visitor from cyberspace, I hope you will find some good ideas and some good links to help you grow in your journey.  One thing is for sure—one day each of us reaches our journey's end.  The question is: where will that journey lead us?  The wise person lives each day with “one eye on eternity”.  The saddest thing is to come to the end of one’s life and realize that one spent too much time with the things that matter little and too little time with the things that matter much.

Let us continue to expect great things.  And let us continue to do great things...to the Glory of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Sincerely,
Fr. Joel McNeil
Pastor