The University of St. Thomas Center for Faith and Culture received a $500,000 gift from Raye White on Oct. 3. The gift will support the Center’s mission to form community leaders who understand and effect the relationship between the worldview of Catholic faith and culture.

The Rev. Donald Nesti, CSSp, director of the Center for Faith and Culture and professor of theology, said White’s gift is an affirmation of the Center’s contribution to the life of the University and its service to the civic community. “Her gift provides us with a wonderful incentive as we move into the next phase of realizing our mission in forming faithful citizens who integrate Catholic faith with our American culture,” he said. “We are grateful to Mrs. White for her support.”

The gift from Mrs. White follows donations from other generous supporters that allowed the Center for Faith and Culture to raise nearly $120,000 in the inaugural Faithful Citizenship Dinner and Lecture.

For more than 18 years, the Center for Faith and Culture has offered conferences, symposia, inter-religious dialogue and parish outreach programs, and now a Master of Arts in Faith all Culture — all dedicated to facilitating an interaction between faith and American culture and the formation of faithful citizenship.