ABOUT US

Chaplain Message

To be a Catholic is to be hospitable. Whether you are Catholic or not, it is my hope that you will find the Newman Center (and especially our Chapel) to be a place of hospitality. 

My name is Fr. James Glasgow and I serve as the Catholic Chaplain on the Council of Chaplains at the George Washington University. 

I grew up in Maryland just north of DC and received undergraduate degrees in philosophy and mathematics from The Catholic University of America in 2016. Afterwards, and as a continuation of my preparatory studies for the priesthood, I was sent to Rome, Italy and obtained two graduate degrees in theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, while in residence and formation at the Pontifical North American College. I was ordained a priest of Jesus Christ in 2020. I love Our Lord. And I am grateful to Him for the stupendous gift of life, particularly as incarnated in activities such as conversing and eating and reading, as well as spending time outdoors in a variety of manners, usually with a predilection for activities affording an increase of adrenaline. Naps are also great, but they pale in comparison to the torpor of prayer. 

You can find me at the Newman Center, our little blue townhouse on F street, or when the weather is good, playing spike ball.

 Hope to see you soon!

 -Fr. James

OUR TEAM

  • Rae Grabowski is a cradle Catholic and the oldest of 5 kids. She was born in Wisconsin (and is a proud owner of the Green Bay Packers!) but spent most of her life in the DC suburbs. She holds a BA in Medieval Studies from The Catholic University of America, an MA in Medieval Studies from Cornell University, and has completed most of a dissertation (titled You Are Who You Eat: Eucharistic Ecclesiology in Early Medieval England).  Ending up in ministry was an unexpected but happy bit of God's providence, most of her prior experience was teaching in a variety of contexts: at universities (Cornell, CUA, and Georgetown), in New York State correctional facilities, in adult and teen RCIA programs, and 2nd-grade religious education. Before becoming the campus minister at GW Catholics right before the 2022-2023 school year began, she taught high school history at an all-girls Catholic school in Virginia. 

    When not at Newman, she enjoys either reading stories or telling them through role-playing games, cooking for people, and trying to knit through the yarn that has accumulated in her apartment. Come visit her on the 3rd floor for a cup of tea or to learn about obscure saints! 

  • Hi friends! My name is Sam, and I’m blessed to serve as the President of GW Catholics!

    I’m originally from Miami, Florida, and came to GW to study Political Science (plus I’m also minoring in Religious Studies)!

    Admittedly, I was raised a non-denominational Christian and wasn’t even Catholic until I came to GW and met the wonderful Newman community that I am ever-increasingly grateful for. By the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, I found my home in Catholicism and was confirmed into the Holy and Apostolic Church on Easter of 2025.

    As such, as someone who was recently welcomed into the Church, I too welcome you! I invite you to our Newman Center, to come to Jesus and see what He is calling you to in your college career, to learn how to follow Him!

    Though I am not yet where I wish I was on the wonderful adventure that is following Christ– on this increasingly narrow road, with this increasingly weightier cross, and this increasingly stumbling self– it is the only adventure I find worth embracing, for the narrow road is the path to Heaven, for the heavy cross is a light burden, for the sinful self is made new each day in God’s goodness.

    I pray and hope we can take this journey together, following our Christ and His Church, in His eternal doctrine of love, loving as He has loved us, even unto death. For it is this unbridled and awesome love that triumphs over death, that sets free the hearts of men, that manifests the sweetest of sweetest of messages– that no matter where one may be, broken or hurt or astray, they must be worth something, something rather grand– for God, Who is Love, gave up everything, out of love for them.

    May we follow Him and glorify Him with our lives.

  • Hello! My name is Maggie Rhoads, and I am the vice president of GW Catholics. 

    I am a junior at George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs, where I study journalism, political science, and ethics. I am originally from the suburbs of Chicago, specifically Hinsdale, but now live in Washington, DC, full time. 

    I lived with my father, Russell, who is a financial expert and professor at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business; my mother, Merribeth, who is basically a GW Catholics celebrity; and my sister, Emmy, who is a freshman at Purdue University studying atmospheric sciences. My family also likes to rescue and foster French bulldogs, pugs, and a beagle. Their full time dogs are Mocha, a rescue French bulldog we received as a hospice foster three years ago but later adopted, and Daisy, a beagle who we also rescued. In the past four years, they have had eight dogs, all who I count as my family.

    I found God in high school, even though I had a less-than-pleasant time. Since I went to Catholic high school, a friend in my junior year recommended I start attending daily mass and praying the rosary daily. After going through OCIA at GW, I officially became Catholic. 

    At GW, I am also president of our Thomistic Institute Chapter. We hold monthly lectures discovering the intersection of secular thought and Catholic truth. We also go on an intellectual retreat once a year to the Dominican House of Studies up near Catholic University of America. 

    I am looking forward to seeing you around! God bless!

FOCUS MISSIONARIES

  • Hey y’all! My name’s Gabriel and I’m a first-year missionary with FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). I grew up in Northern Virginia in a big homeschooling family as the 7th of 9 kids. I’m super close with my siblings and love to spend time with them and my seven nieces and nephews (and two more on the way!!). Ask me to show you pictures of the little ones and I’ll be all too happy to oblige.

    I recently graduated from the Catholic University of America, where I earned my Bachelors of Music in Musical Theatre. Performing and technical theatre were a big part of my college experience, as were intramural and pickup sports (especially volleyball and soccer-definitely let me know if you ever wanna pass around either one).

    I was raised Catholic but really only fell in love with Christ my senior year of college. The summer before my senior year, some lifelong struggles with church teaching had culminated in me seriously considering leaving my Catholic faith behind.

    And that’s when I encountered the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration. He mercifully allowed me to see that relationship with Him was what my soul was truly longing for. I’ll never have the words to fully describe all the ways He has transformed my life, but from that day on, I knew I wanted to share with others the joy and peace and adventure that comes through relationship with Christ, especially through Adoration.

    I’m super excited to have the opportunity to share this truth with all the students here at GW and I can’t wait to meet you all, so please don’t hesitate to introduce yourself! Know of my prayers, and God bless!

  • My name is Leo Johnson, and I am a first-year FOCUS missionary! I was born in Chester, PA but eventually moved and grew up in Huntingtown, MD. My parents are from Kerala, India and I have 2 older sisters. In my free time, I enjoy doing really anything outdoors, whether it’s hiking or going to the beach. I also love jigsaw puzzles, I practiced a little Tae Kwon Do in high school, and I like anime too (Naruto’s my favorite)!

     In terms of my faith life, my parents are devout Catholics who were raised in the Syro-Malabar rite of the Catholic Church, so growing up, faith was never far from me. I never really considered faith as something for me individually, but instead I had respect for the Catholic faith simply because my family had respect for it. It wasn’t until I went to college at Towson University and got involved with the Newman Center there that I had my first encounter with Jesus. It was during Adoration at a retreat, and I remember in that moment feeling so loved by God. After that, I finally began to see God for who He really is – my Father and my Friend. I became very involved with the Catholic Center afterwards and walked with other students in their faith and loved every minute of it. I am excited for what this upcoming year holds, and I can’t wait to walk with the students here at GW in their journey with Christ and His Church!

  • Hello! My name is Tessa Gatewood, and I’m in my second year as a missionary with FOCUS. This year, I’m thrilled to serve alongside my teammates at GW!

    I’m originally from a small town of 5,000 in Nebraska (it has a fun name—ask me about it!) and I’m the youngest of three. I love being outdoors, playing sports, and going on spontaneous adventures. I also enjoy cooking and taking care of plants/flowers. Two of my favorite saints are Saint Clare of Assisi and Servant of God Sister Clare Crockett.

    During college, the witness of FOCUS missionaries on my campus opened my eyes to the truth that we’re made for a personal relationship with the Lord. Through their simple invitations, I began living a life filled with a joy I had never experienced before—a joy that comes from walking with Christ. My college years were full of adventures that continually drew me deeper into the heart of Jesus. By others saying “yes” to God’s call, I was led to where I am today. Now, in my own “yes,” my hope is to be a vessel of the Lord’s truth and mercy to others. I’d love to share more of my story with you!

    I’m looking forward to meeting you soon!

  • Hi I'm Catherine and I grew up on Long Island. Growing up in New York, I have a deep love for the beach, bagels, and good pizza. I grew up Catholic, and I'm the oldest of 3. I love to read and chronically have multiple books open at once. In college, I studied Athletic Training, but more importantly, I developed a personal relationship with God. Encountering Christ is what led me to work in ministry full-time and now to be here at George Washington. This is my 1st year working at George Washington, and I'm excited to explore Foggy Bottom. I'm always accepting recommendations for good coffee shops, and it's a bonus if they have a good latte. What I love about the Catholic faith and working in campus ministry is getting to walk alongside students who are coming to know Christ for the 1st time, falling more in love with Him, or coming back to the church after a time away. Honestly, at different seasons of my life I've had all of those experiences ask me about them sometime! A current Saint that I have gotten to know and love is St. Teresa of Avila.

DIRECTORS

  • Hi everyone! My name is Rihanna Pinos, and I’m an accounting and finance major at GW. I’m excited to be part of the Finance Committee for GW Catholics this year! I’ve always enjoyed working with numbers and staying organized so joining the Finance Committee felt like a great way to use those interests while supporting the community.

    I first found out about GW Catholics during my second semester at GW and after going to the Spring Retreat where I met some of the most amazing people I really got a sense of how welcoming and genuine the community is. I would also definitely recommend the retreat to anyone who hasn’t gone yet it was such a great experience.

    Since then, I’ve really enjoyed getting to know people and being involved, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow in faith and as a person with everyone in this community!

  • Hi everyone! My name is Sophia McCoy, and I’m currently majoring in International Affairs at GW. I’m so excited to be serving on the Media and Design Committee for GW Catholics this year!

    I’ve always loved creative projects, whether it’s making graphics, editing videos, or just helping bring a vision to life. I’m really looking forward to using those passions to support this amazing community.

    I found out about GW Catholics not long after starting at GW, and I immediately felt drawn in by the welcoming spirit and genuine faith of everyone involved. It’s been such a blessing to meet people who not only share the same beliefs but also support and uplift one another.

    This community has already made a big impact on me, and I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to give back in any way I can. I can’t wait to grow in faith together and meet all of you soon!

  • Hola! My name is Nicole, and I am so happy to serve the Lord as the Hispanic Ministries Director of GW Catholics! I am a senior majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in International Development and minoring in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

    Born and raised in Peru, to be exactly where Pope Leo XIV was bishop, and in the catholic faith since I was little. So, yes, I am the typical catholic story - haha!

    I went my whole life to an Augustinian school, so a lot of the knowledge and my faith come from the Augustinians; that is why being in a community is important to me, just like Newman.

    Before starting at GW, my college life had ups and downs. I thought I wanted to become a lawyer in Peru, but God had other plans for me, and I am happy because I found Newman and a beautiful community where I can share my faith and keep growing as a person.  How did I end up in Newman? Funny story, but I stalked Newman and decided to transfer to GW hahaha! Also, God gave me signs to transfer to GW, and now I understand His plans. He has big plans for everyone, be patient!

    When I am not at Newman, I like to spend time with friends, going out to dance, study, and doing different things. I love trying new things because there is so much to discover in the world the Lord gave us.

    A todos mis Latinos, you are more than welcome to come to Newman! If you find me around campus, I am happy to talk with you about anything, and feel free to reach out!

  • Hey everyone! My name is Claudia, and I am so excited and blessed to be the director of events. I am a graduate doing a Masters in Public Health (MPH) in Maternal and Child Health. I first got involved at Newman by meeting people at the Newman center, and then I joined the outreach committee my spring semester as a first year graduate student.

    One of my favorite Newman memories is my first retreat in that spring semester. It was on the Holy Spirit and I really got more connected to the community during that retreat. I did my bachelors in biology and Georgia Tech, and I grew closer to God and deeper in faith formation through the Georgia Tech Catholic center and the people there. I’m grateful that the Lord places me here at GW and excited for what this year holds!

    Excited to meet you and please say hi if you see me around!

  • Ave! My name is Will, and I have the immense honor and blessing of serving as GW Catholics’ Director of Outreach! Hailing from the bustling metropolis known as Shavertown, PA, the Lord has guided me to GW, where I am currently a sophomore double majoring in History and Political Science.

     I like to call myself a “cradle convert,” having been baptized Catholic as a baby before falling away from the Church. Eventually, I found my way back home to Christ and His church, being confirmed at the age of 16. Since then, I have been wholly immersed in this wondrous adventure, always striving to follow His light, bring about His will, and further throw myself into His arms.

     Perhaps there is nothing that has guided me along this road as much as the GW Catholics community. This is why I faithfully invite you to our Newman Center, where I pray that you will join me in embarking upon this magnificent journey known as Christ. It is my sincere hope that through His Word, His sacraments, and His grace, we can surge forward together and be imbued with the strength and wisdom needed to fulfill his plan for us in every aspect of our lives.

    In the Gospel of Matthew, our Lord says, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” To me, there is no greater calling, no more honorable mission, than to spread the indomitable love and everlasting truth of our Lord. In a seemingly secularizing world, it becomes our solemn mission as Catholics to magnify the light of Christ throughout the Earth. I hope to see you at the Newman Center, where together we can walk with Him, while bringing others to Him.

    Dominus Vobiscum.

  • Hey everyone! My name is Luke and I have the honor of serving as your Director of Liturgy and Prayer for the upcoming year.  I'm in my third and final year here at the Elliott School studying international affairs, concentrating in international economics, and minoring in music.

    I was born and raised in Chicagoland in a nondenominational Protestant family.  I attended a megachurch for Christmas and Easter until I was 8, when we moved and my parents decided to start attending a Congregationalist church every Sunday.  It was there that I was baptized in 2019.  During COVID, going to 'online church' made me question the point of it, and why I believed what I did, and I spent a couple of years studying different religious traditions.  While I was living in Paris in the summer of 2023, I attended an absolutely beautiful solemn Mass at Saint Sulpice, drawing me to learn more about Catholicism.  After finding the Newman Center, asking a lot of questions, and learning more about the faith, I was received into full communion on Easter 2024 at St. Stephen Martyr here in D.C., which is now my home parish.

    As a result of my experience, I am a strong believer in the beauty of the liturgy as a means to call people to conversion, both Catholics and non-Catholics alike -- it is a transcendental that helps us lift our hearts and minds to the divine.  This is a principle that will guide my tenure as Director of Liturgy and Prayer, and I hope you will join me in continuing to make Newman a beautiful and prayerful space.

    I spend a lot of time at Newman, so you'll be sure to see me -- feel free to come up and say hello.  You are welcome here, and may our Lord bless you always!

     

Our journey has been anything but ordinary. Through every step, we've focused on staying true to our values and making space for thoughtful, lasting work.

This isn’t just a business—it’s a reflection of what we believe in. We’re here to create work that matters, led by a shared commitment to quality and care.

Our journey has been anything but ordinary. Through every step, we've focused on staying true to our values and making space for thoughtful, lasting work.

This isn’t just a business—it’s a reflection of what we believe in. We’re here to create work that matters, led by a shared commitment to quality and care.

Our journey has been anything but ordinary. Through every step, we've focused on staying true to our values and making space for thoughtful, lasting work.

This isn’t just a business—it’s a reflection of what we believe in. We’re here to create work that matters, led by a shared commitment to quality and care.

Our journey has been anything but ordinary. Through every step, we've focused on staying true to our values and making space for thoughtful, lasting work.

This isn’t just a business—it’s a reflection of what we believe in. We’re here to create work that matters, led by a shared commitment to quality and care.

NEWMAN HISTORY

THE CHALLENGE

Most college students don’t know God. So, their lives are disordered, leaving many of them disenchanted, drifting, and disappointed with the world and themselves.


The students at George Washington University are among the most intelligent, capable, and ambitious students in the nation (and in the world). Sadly, only a fraction of these students know Jesus. And of those raised Catholic, many will further distance themselves from the Faith before graduating.

OUR VISION

Students to Saints in the Nation’s Capital

What this looks like:

  • An Individual: Cultivate a relationship with Jesus Christ through the encounter of His mercy and meaning, to order each student’s life to the communion of Heaven. 

  • GW Catholic Community: Create a culture of festivity rooted in charity that fosters virtue, self-gift, and friendships, laying the foundation for a mature Christian life.

  • GW Campus: Order the drive and global influence of our campus towards the common good and human flourishing by being icons of Christ’s love and truth.

OUR MISSION

To form life-long disciples of Jesus Christ by encouraging a commitment to prayer, the sacraments, service, stewardship, and evangelization.

OUR CORE VALUES

[S]peaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ —Ephesians 4:15.

“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves” —Encyclical Letter Fides et Ratio, Pope Saint John Paul II.

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

SEEKING TRUTH

“For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:45. 

To serve is to reign - Gelasian Sacramentary, 8th c. 

INCARNATE JOY

“because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the party began.” Luke 15: 24

Cor ad cor loquitur (Heart speaks to heart) - St. John Henry Newman

“Christ, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away.  Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.” — Hebrews 7:24-25

“Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament. . . . There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth… “Letter to his son Michael” ( Letter 43), J. R. R. Tolkien

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” —Jeremiah 29:11
“[Through the Gospel] the dark door of time, of the future, has been thrown open. The one who has hope lives differently; the one who hopes has been granted the gift of a new life.” —Spe Salvi, Pope Benedict XVI, 2.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy,” Mathew 5:7

“Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy” - Pope Francis

ICONS OF MERCY

COURAGEOUS HOPE

SACRAMENTAL DEVOTION

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