St Lawrence Catholic Church/Newman Center

1203 Fifth Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414


Builder: Henry Pilcher's Sons, opus 1159, 1924
Manuals: 2
Ranks: 18 originally; 24 in 2003
Stops: 24
Action: Mechanical

Notes: Rebuilt by K. C. Marrin in 2003. Identified through information in Volume VI, p. 104 of the Pilcher factory ledger and the list of Pilcher organs typed by William E. Pilcher of Louisville. Original price $8000 (Elizabeth Schmitt). Updated 11/2013

The Newman Center was built at the corner of 17th Ave S and University and dedicated in 1950. It became a home to University-area Catholic students and community members, many involved in social justice actions, including Vietnam War protests, Nestle boycott organizing and GLBT inclusion in the Catholic church. The Center held regular religious services and maintained a robust religious education program from the 1960s through the late 1990s.

In 1998, after several decades of liturgical and political skirmishes with the Diocese, the membership was told that the Newman building would close, and the Center programs would merge with the St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Dinkytown. The final mass at the Center was held October, 1998. The Newman Center was demolished in 2012 to make way for student housing. Updates 03/2021.

In 2003 work was done by KC Marrin, including creation of a downstairs console (the original was retained and was functional, but has since been removed.) New SSL interface was added to control the original Pilcher electro-magnetic pallet action. The Great stoplist was changed (pipes are in storage) but Swell is all original. Chests re-leathered in 2003.
-- Michael Barone, 11 February 2023

The present building was built in 1921 and the Pilcher was installed in the balcony at that time.

GREAT
16' Open Diapason
8' Open Diapason
8' Melodia
8' Gamba
4' Octave (originally 8' Dulciana)
2.2/3' Mixture IV-VII (originally 4' Harmonic Flute)
8' Tuba
    Tremulant
8' Swell to Great
16' Swell to Great
4' Swell to Great
Swell 8' & 4' Great Treble
16' Great to Great
8' Great Unison Off
4' Great to Great
Pedal to Great Bass

SWELL
16' Bourdon
8' Open Diapason
8' Stopped Diapason
8' Salicional
8' Vox Celeste
8' Aeoline
4' Flute Traverse
8' Cornopean
8' Oboe
    Tremulant
16' Swell to Swell
8' Swell Unison Off
4' Swell to Swell

PEDAL
16' Open Diapason
16' Bourdon
16' Lieblich Gedeckt (Sw)
8' Pedal Flute (ext 16' Open Diapason)
4' Choral Bass (Gt, former Dulciana)
16' Tuba (Gt extension)
8' Great to Pedal
8' Swell to Pedal
4' Swell to Pedal
4' Pedal to Pedal