Jérôme Nadal, SJ, Jesuit Residence opens at Creighton University
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On May 2, Creighton donors, alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students joined Creighton’s Jesuit community to celebrate the opening of the Jérôme Nadal, SJ, Jesuit Residence.
This is the third new building to open on Creighton’s Omaha campus during this academic year, as one of the most transformative periods in the history of the University continues.
The 37,779-square-foot building stands along 24th Street at the east edge of the Jesuit Gardens, behind Creighton Hall and St. John’s Church. In addition to being the Jesuits’ new home, the building will serve as a venue for students, faculty, staff, alumni and Omaha partners participating in Mass, spiritual counseling, tutoring, mentoring and mission-based programs.
"Students and campus visitors often tell me that Creighton University ‘feels like home,’” said Creighton President the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD. “One of the main reasons they feel at home here is the Jesuit community at the heart of our campus and our mission. The addition of the Jérôme Nadal, SJ, Jesuit Residence makes our community an even more accessible resource, particularly for students seeking academic, cultural and spiritual growth.”
The new residence will include 28 bedrooms for Creighton Jesuits, a 961-square-foot chapel, a dining hall, a library and several spaces for spiritual activities.
The addition of the Jérôme Nadal Residence makes our community an even more accessible resource.
— The Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD
The residence will also support the Creighton Jesuits’ work in Omaha and the broader global Jesuit community, hosting meetings and fellowship for those from Creighton Prep, Jesuit Academy middle school in North Omaha, Cloisters on the Platte and the Creighton Retreat Center in Griswold, Iowa. Jesuit scholars visiting from around the world will stay in the facility’s guestrooms.
The Jesuit Residence was made possible by lead gifts from Teri and Ron Quinn, BSBA’70, MBA’76; Mary Pat, BS’62, and Dick McCormick, HON’88; Physicians Mutual and the Reed Family; Ann and Ken Stinson; and Nancy and Mike McCarthy.
Ron and Teri Quinn said the Jérôme Nadal Residence will serve as a visible sign of Jesuit presence and commitment on Creighton’s campus.
“We were grateful to be part of the group leading the effort to bring this project to reality, and we are pleased to see the completion of such a beautiful building,” the Quinns said. “The intention is that it serves as a welcoming, home-like environment for Jesuit residents and guests.”
Mary Pat and Dick McCormick said their interest in supporting the space stemmed from the residence’s Our Lady of Montserrat Chapel, named for the shrine and monastery near Manresa, Spain, that St. Ignatius visited in 1522.
“We wanted to support our priests with a beautiful place of prayer that reflects our support for Ignatian spirituality and Creighton, as well as for others who may use it,” the McCormicks said. “Being removed from the distractions and noise of our world is essential in life. Our lives all depend on peace and purpose. A beautiful chapel brings us to that place of light and refuge.”
The Our Lady of Montserrat Chapel in the Jérôme Nadal, SJ, Jesuit Residence.
Students strongly connected to Creighton’s values said they think the Jesuit Residence will deepen their ties to the University’s mission and the Jesuit community.
“The Jesuits and the Jesuit mission are maybe the biggest reason I chose Creighton,” said Ella Hoffman, a Class of 2026 social work major. “The values resonate with me, and they’re integrated into everything we do here. It really feels like Creighton is forming different kinds of students by implementing these values in everyday life.”
Hoffman said the Jesuits set the example for the rest of the University. One instance she mentioned involved her good friend the Rev. Jeff Sullivan, SJ, BA’03, who leads spiritual retreats through the Campus Ministry program.
One time, when she was having a particularly bad day, Hoffman ran into Fr. Sullivan in the Mike and Josie Harper Center. He stopped her and said, “You look like you’re having a tough day. Can I pray over you?”
That’s something you can’t find at almost any other university, Hoffman said.
It really feels like Creighton is forming different kinds of students by implementing these values in everyday life.
— Ella Hoffman, Creighton student
“There are just so many things that make this campus unique. From the way my social work professors connect my future profession to Catholic social teaching to the sense of community I feel with other students coming together for 9 p.m. Mass.”
Fr. Sullivan was himself once a Creighton student heavily influenced by the Jesuits. He said their presence shaped his worldview and led him to the priesthood.
“I think I was formed to be a Jesuit because of Creighton,” Fr. Sullivan said. “The Jesuits helped me reimagine what it means to be Catholic. It’s not just doing the right thing or going to Mass but also being concerned about the poor and the marginalized.”
Class of 2026 Heider College of Business student Adam Boblenz attended a Catholic high school, but the Jesuit values were new to him during his freshman year at Creighton. Nearly two years later, these values are steering the course of his education and Creighton experience.
“The Jesuits are always there,” Boblenz said. “You can always find one at Mass, walking down the Mall, up in the rocking chairs in front of Creighton Hall or at a Super Bowl party they’re hosting in the basement of St. John’s.
“They’re a strong, devoted group of men you can always count on if you need spiritual direction, advice on your vocation or even just friendly personal conversation.”
