The Catholic Information Center – A Brief History

Begun in 1957 by two Redemptorist priests, at the invitation of Cardinal O'Boyle, the Catholic Information Center began as a “street parish” -- a place where young DC workers could attend noontime Mass, attend courses before and after work, and peruse the “library.” Soon a community developed and with popular spaghetti dinners, in the first twenty years, the CIC saw over 2,500 converts walk through the front door.

In 1991, when the Redemptorists could no longer continue to staff CIC, Cardinal Hickey arranged for the Archdiocese to incorporate CIC into their work and asked for Opus Dei to oversee the operations of CIC.

Today, CIC still offers Mass as it did almost 50 years ago. No longer a library but a full fledged bookstore, CIC remains the “street parish” of downtown Washington, DC, serving nearly 1,000 individuals each week through Holy Mass, Confession, spiritual direction, lectures, discussion groups and special events.

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Located in downtown Washington DC , CIC's chapel and bookstore bring the sacraments and spiritual resources to those working in the Nation's Capital. The St. Josemaría Escrivá Chapel is a quiet refuge for prayer where Holy Mass, confession, and Eucharistic adoration are offered daily. The chapel and bookstore, along with our ongoing series of lectures and discussion groups, work to provide the tools necessary for Catholics to share and increase their faith.

The Catholic Information Center's prominent location allows it to supplement and support the work of local parishes. We strive to promote the "new evangelization" called for by Pope John Paul II through our principal mission: to make the Catholic Church present and alive in the hearts of the men and women who work in the international, financial, and business center of the Nation's Capital.

The mission of the Catholic Information Center has four dimensions: Good Reading Material, Sacraments, Education & Formation, and Outreach.

Good Reading Material

• Through its large, well-stocked bookstore, CIC provides Catholic books and religious articles to deepen the knowledge and piety of Catholics. Over 2,500 titles and many religious items are available.

Sacraments

• The Holy Mass and other sacraments are at the heart of the "new evangelization." Click here to find CIC's Mass times and further details.

Education & Formation

• The Center's facilities are made available for a wide variety of activities. In accordance with our mission to contribute to the "new evangelization" in the United States , and to promote a deeper knowledge of the Catholic Faith, CIC makes its facilities available for the following purposes.

•  doctrinal classes

•  public lectures on matters concerning faith and morals

•  instruction for converts (individually or in groups)

•  the sacraments of initiation and full communion in the Catholic Church

To view our upcoming events, visit the Events Page.

Outreach

• To meet our mission of supporting the local parishes and Catholic community groups, CIC consistently provides local groups and seminarians with the ability to host events, meetings, and discussion groups. For example:
  • CIC serves as the home for the Potomac Council of the Knights of Columbus and hosts the Council's monthly St. Thomas More Lecture Series.
  • CIC also hosts several local discussion groups and book clubs, such as the Love and Responsibility discussion group, the Catholic Apologetics discussion group, and the Washington Catholic Forum.
  • CIC also cooperates with the local seminary by providing opportunities for seminarians to meet their pastoral work requirements. The seminarians can develop their skills in transmitting their faith and knowledge through lectures given at CIC and personal contact with the visitors to the Center.

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The Catholic Information Center is under the direction of:

Rev. Arne A. Panula, S.T.D.

Fr. Panula, a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei and ordained in 1973, was appointed Director of the Catholic Information Center by His Excellency, Donald Wuerl in September 2007. He succeeds Fr. William H. Stetson, who had been director since 2004. The operation of the Center has been entrusted to priests of the Prelature of Opus Dei since 1993.

A 1967 graduate of Harvard College, Fr. Panula subsequently earned a doctorate in Theology from the University of Navarre in Pamplona, Spain. After his ordination, he served as the chaplain of The Heights School in the mid-1970’s. Thereafter, for almost twenty years, he exercised his ministry in Northern California working with high-school students and later with university students. Beginning in 1988, he carried out administrative responsibilities for Opus Dei in California for a decade, and in 1998, the Prelate of Opus Dei appointed him Vicar of the Prelature of Opus Dei for the United States, in New York. For his last five years in New York, he has been the Spiritual Director of the Prelature of Opus Dei for the United States.

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Where the CIC is Located : The Catholic Information Center is located in the heart of Washington D.C., in the Investment Building at 15th and K Streets, NW.