First-time Campus Ministry Center to open near UTD campus

Students at The University of Texas at Dallas will have the opportunity to deepen their faith lives and be part of history when the new University Catholic Center at UTD opens this school year. Located across the street from the campus, the building at 2105 Waterview Parkway in Richardson is the first fully dedicated Catholic campus ministry building and chapel for the UTD community and will operate in close collaboration with the Office of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministries of the Diocese of Dallas.

The University Catholic Center ministry is oriented primarily for students but will not exclude university faculty. The new chaplain and director, Father Tymo Ksiazkiewicz, says he is grateful to have the assistance of FOCUS Missionaries and Newman Catholic Ministry at UTD and adds they are all very excited about this important ministry. “We are aware that the students are struggling with many temptations and can be easily lost to the world. We are building a Christian environment for the students to be able to rest. We hope that they will find in the University Catholic Center at UTD a place to encounter a healthy Catholic environment where they can feed their souls.”

Bishop Edward Burns says he decided to establish the University Catholic Center at UTD when he saw the need expressed by students first-hand. “I was privileged to celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass with the UTD students in 2019. We were in a large classroom on campus and it was absolutely packed with a line of students out the door and down the hall. In speaking with them I found they had to travel away from campus to attend Mass and go to confession which was a challenge for many of them. These young people thirsted for the Lord and the sacraments and I knew then we had to make this campus ministry happen.” He went on to say that the new Catholic Center affirms the diocese’s ongoing commitment to serving young adults in campus ministry.

The new center will provide the room needed for the sacraments, spiritual development and other community building events. The 15,000 square foot building, purchased in 2022, is currently undergoing renovation. Construction of the permanent chapel will soon begin. Bishop Burns expressed gratitude to everyone making the new center possible. “We are grateful to the generous donors and everyone who is helping to make this possible. As we continue the fundraising efforts, we hope other donors committed to keeping our college students strong in their Catholic faith will help us finish this important project.” To learn more and invest in this initiative, please contact Kelly Halaszyn, Director of Development, at 214-379-3178 or

Sunday Masses at the University Catholic Center at UTD will begin on August 21, 2022. Students can attend confession before every Mass. Bishop Burns will celebrate an official Opening Mass on Sunday, August 28th in the temporary chapel.