Father Andrews named SJPII pastor, director

Father Daniel Andrews has been named pastor and director of the St. John Paul II Newman Center near the University of Nebraska at Omaha, effective July 1.

He replaces Father Jake Anderson, who has been serving in an interim role since Father Joseph Taphorn, the center’s first pastor and director, became rector of The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul, Minn., on Jan. 1. Father Anderson is on loan from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, where he will return at the end of June. 

“I’m both humbled and honored to be selected by Archbishop (George J.) Lucas for this position,” Father Andrews said. “The atmosphere and support our Newman Center offers are game-changers for young adults. I look forward to working with the SJPII team and getting to know the students.”

Father Andrews has been pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Norfolk and president of Norfolk Catholic Schools since 2010. He was ordained by Archbishop Elden Francis Curtiss in 2001.

He also served as pastor of St. Boniface Parish in Elgin and St. Bonaventure Parish in Raeville from 2004 to 2010, and was associate pastor at Christ the King Parish in Omaha and St. Mary Parish in Bellevue. 

A native of Omaha, Father Andrews attended Mary Our Queen School in Omaha and Mount Michael Benedictine High School near Elkhorn. He graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan.

He attended seminary at St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia and Mount St. Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md.

Father Andrews received a certification in spiritual direction from the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha and has served as a spiritual director and adjunct faculty member there since 2005.

He also was one of 11 U.S. and Canadian pastors to take part in the first Divine Renovation Network, which trains pastors and parish leaders how to engage in parish-based evangelization and discipleship.