Is the University of Montana a Catholic college?

No. The University of Montana is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by Griz Catholic.

Where is Mass celebrated at the University of Montana?

Mass is listed at Christ the King Parish. Days and times are on this page; please confirm with the parish or campus ministry before you go.

College · Catholic life on campus

The University of Montana

LocationMissoula, MT
Type and sizePublic · 4-year · 10,327 students

Official website

The University of Montana is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

Griz Catholic is the Catholic campus ministry for the University of Montana. It is run from Christ the King Parish in Missoula, which the parish describes as the Newman Center Parish for the university. The published schedule includes a Saturday vigil and two Sunday Masses, weekday Masses on Tuesday through Friday during the school year, and weekly confession and adoration on Thursdays.

Mass, confession, and adoration

Confirm with the parish

Mass 8

Saturday5:15 PMChrist the King Parish · Saturday vigil.
Sunday10:00 AMChrist the King Parish
Sunday7:00 PMChrist the King Parish
Tuesday5:15 PMChrist the King Parish · School year.
Wednesday5:15 PMChrist the King Parish · School year.
Thursday8:00 PMChrist the King Parish · School year. Candlelight Mass.

Show 2 more mass times

Friday12:15 PMChrist the King Parish · School year.
Tuesday–Friday12:15 PMChrist the King Parish · Summer daily Mass times (Tuesday through Friday).

Confession 2

Thursday7:00 PMChrist the King Parish · Weekly; ends 8:30 PM; also by appointment with Fr. Kirby Longo.
Sunday6:00 PMChrist the King Parish · Ends 6:45 PM.

Adoration 2

Thursday7:00 PMChrist the King Parish · School year; ends 8:45 PM.
Thursday7:00 PMChrist the King Parish · Summer; ends 8:00 PM.

Times come only from official parish, chaplaincy, or school pages, and can change with the season. Last verified Oct. 12, 2026.

Sources for these times (1)

Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com · verified Oct. 12, 2026
“Saturday Vigil: 5:15 PM”
The parish lists a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:15 PM and Sunday Masses at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
“Saturday Vigil: 5:15 PM”
The parish lists a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:15 PM and Sunday Masses at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
“Saturday Vigil: 5:15 PM”
The parish lists a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:15 PM and Sunday Masses at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
“Tuesday: 5:15 PM Wednesday: 5:15 PM Thursday: 8:00 PM (Candlelight Mass) Friday: 12:15 PM”
School-year weekday Masses are listed for Tuesday through Friday.
“Tuesday: 5:15 PM Wednesday: 5:15 PM Thursday: 8:00 PM (Candlelight Mass) Friday: 12:15 PM”
School-year weekday Masses are listed for Tuesday through Friday.
“Tuesday: 5:15 PM Wednesday: 5:15 PM Thursday: 8:00 PM (Candlelight Mass) Friday: 12:15 PM”
School-year weekday Masses are listed for Tuesday through Friday.
“Tuesday: 5:15 PM Wednesday: 5:15 PM Thursday: 8:00 PM (Candlelight Mass) Friday: 12:15 PM”
School-year weekday Masses are listed for Tuesday through Friday.
“Thursday: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Sunday: 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM”
Confession is scheduled on Thursdays and Sundays.
“Thursday: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Sunday: 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM”
Confession is scheduled on Thursdays and Sundays.
“Thursday: 7:00 PM - 8:45 PM”
Adoration is offered Thursdays 7:00 to 8:45 PM during the school year.
“Tuesday - Friday: 12:15 PM”
Summer daily Mass is listed Tuesday through Friday at 12:15 PM.
“Thursday: 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM”
Summer adoration is listed Thursdays 7:00 to 8:00 PM.

Plan a campus visit Mass times for your dates, questions to ask, and a calendar button.

Catholic churches nearby

CampusCatholic centerCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›

Christ the King Catholic Church — 0.6 mi · 1400 Gerald Avenue, Missoula
Saint Anthony Catholic Church — 0.9 mi · 217 Tremont Street, Missoula
Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church — 1.3 mi · 420 West Pine Street, Missoula
Blessed Trinity Catholic Church — 2.5 mi · 1475 Eaton Street, Missoula

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Catholic life scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

Catholic life on campus

83 of 100 points on what we could document.

Yes:
Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Yes
Sources (1)
1. Griz Catholic | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/ccm · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Catholic Campus Ministry for the University of Montana”
  Griz Catholic is the Catholic campus ministry for the University of Montana.
Not enough information:
Dedicated Catholic center or chapel on or next to campusNot enough information: not found in official sources.
Yes:
Priest chaplain assigned to campus ministryFull-time priest chaplain (Fr. Kirby Longo is the pastor of Christ the King Parish and is listed as campus pastor for the university.)
Sources (2)
1. Sacraments | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/sacraments · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Fr. Kirby, Pastor of Christ the King”
  Fr. Kirby is the pastor of Christ the King Parish.
2. Griz Catholic | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/ccm · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “campus pastor cell- 406.697.5828 email- klongo@ctkmsla.org Fr. Kirby Longo”
  Fr. Kirby Longo is listed as the campus pastor for Griz Catholic.
Partly:
Weekday Mass at the campus ministry1–4 weekdays (School-year Masses at the parish fall on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (4 weekdays).)
Sources (1)
1. Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Saturday Vigil: 5:15 PM”
  The parish lists a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:15 PM and Sunday Masses at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
  “Tuesday: 5:15 PM Wednesday: 5:15 PM Thursday: 8:00 PM (Candlelight Mass) Friday: 12:15 PM”
  School-year weekday Masses are listed for Tuesday through Friday.
Yes:
Sunday Mass at the campus ministry or a campus chapelTwo or more weekend Masses (Saturday vigil at 5:15 PM plus Sunday Masses at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.)
Sources (1)
1. Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Saturday Vigil: 5:15 PM”
  The parish lists a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:15 PM and Sunday Masses at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
Yes:
Scheduled confession at the campus ministryWeekly or more often (Scheduled confession on Thursday 7:00 to 8:30 PM and Sunday 6:00 to 6:45 PM, plus confession by appointment.)
Sources (1)
1. Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Thursday: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Sunday: 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM”
  Confession is scheduled on Thursdays and Sundays.
Partly:
Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)One (Only FOCUS is named on the ministry's pages.)
Sources (1)
1. Griz Catholic | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/ccm · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Welcome to our FOCUS Missionaries!”
  FOCUS missionaries serve University of Montana students through Griz Catholic.
Yes:
Formation programs (retreats, OCIA/RCIA, service, small groups)Two or more kinds (Retreat sign-up for Griz Catholic and OCIA (Catholic initiation) are both offered.)
Sources (2)
1. Griz Catholic | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/ccm · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Search Retreat Sign up”
  Griz Catholic offers a retreat with a sign-up form.
2. Sacraments | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/sacraments · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Regular meetings (Tuesdays at 6PM), community gatherings”
  OCIA, the process for becoming Catholic, meets Tuesdays at 6 PM at the parish.
Yes:
Catholic church within walking distance (computed from OpenStreetMap)Within 1 mile of campusComputed from OpenStreetMap church locations.
Partly:
Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adoration12 to 19 times a week (15 weekly times documented: 11 Mass, 2 confession, 2 adoration.)Computed from the verified Mass, confession, and adoration times listed on this page (each day a time is offered counts once).

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

A parish-based Newman Center with a priest named as campus pastor, and Masses on the Saturday vigil, Sunday and Tuesday through Friday during the school year.
Sources (3)
1. About | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/about · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Christ the King is the Newman Center Parish for the University of Montana in Missoula.”
  Christ the King Parish is the Newman Center parish for the University of Montana.
2. Griz Catholic | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/ccm · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “campus pastor cell- 406.697.5828 email- klongo@ctkmsla.org Fr. Kirby Longo”
  Fr. Kirby Longo is listed as the campus pastor for Griz Catholic.
3. Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Saturday Vigil: 5:15 PM”
  The parish lists a Saturday vigil Mass at 5:15 PM and Sunday Masses at 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
  “Tuesday: 5:15 PM Wednesday: 5:15 PM Thursday: 8:00 PM (Candlelight Mass) Friday: 12:15 PM”
  School-year weekday Masses are listed for Tuesday through Friday.
Scheduled confession each week on Thursdays and Sundays, plus Thursday adoration during the school year.
Sources (1)
1. Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Thursday: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Sunday: 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM”
  Confession is scheduled on Thursdays and Sundays.
  “Thursday: 7:00 PM - 8:45 PM”
  Adoration is offered Thursdays 7:00 to 8:45 PM during the school year.

Concerns

Only one Catholic student group, FOCUS, is named on the ministry's pages.
Sources (1)
1. Griz Catholic | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/ccm · verified Oct. 12, 2026
  “Welcome to our FOCUS Missionaries!”
  FOCUS missionaries serve University of Montana students through Griz Catholic.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

The Catholic center

Christ the King Parish (Griz Catholic, the Newman Center for the University of Montana)

Address: 1400 Gerald Ave, Missoula, MT 59801
Distance from campus: 0.6 mi (straight line from the campus point in federal IPEDS data)

View on map ↗

Source: ctkmsla.com, verified Oct. 12, 2026, ctkmsla.com, verified Oct. 12, 2026, ctkmsla.com, verified Oct. 12, 2026

Catholic clubs and student life

3 groups and regular activities · 0 on campus, 0 off campus, 3 location not published

Faith formation 1

OCIA (Catholic initiation for adults)
Tuesdays at 6:00 PM
Parish process for adults seeking to become Catholic, with regular Tuesday meetings.
ctkmsla.com

Clubs and groups 1

FOCUS missionaries (Griz Catholic)
FOCUS missionaries serve University of Montana students through Griz Catholic.
ctkmsla.com

Retreats 1

Griz Catholic retreat
Griz Catholic lists a retreat with an online sign-up form.
ctkmsla.com

Everything listed is published by the school, its campus ministry, or the parish. Ask the campus minister what’s happening this semester.

Catholic campus ministry

Griz Catholic

Sources (3)

Griz Catholic | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/ccm · verified Oct. 12, 2026
“Catholic Campus Ministry for the University of Montana”
Griz Catholic is the Catholic campus ministry for the University of Montana.
“campus pastor cell- 406.697.5828 email- klongo@ctkmsla.org Fr. Kirby Longo”
Fr. Kirby Longo is listed as the campus pastor for Griz Catholic.
“Catholic Campus Ministry for the University of Montana”
Griz Catholic is the Catholic campus ministry for the University of Montana.
About | Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com/about · verified Oct. 12, 2026
“Christ the King is the Newman Center Parish for the University of Montana in Missoula.”
Christ the King Parish is the Newman Center parish for the University of Montana.
Christ the King Parishctkmsla.com · verified Oct. 12, 2026
“1400 Gerald Ave Missoula, MT 59801”
The parish is at 1400 Gerald Ave, Missoula, MT 59801, with office@ctkmsla.org as its office email.

Reach out

Contact details for Fr. Kirby Longo (Campus pastor, Christ the King Parish) and 3 official social and news channels are available to signed-in users.

We keep campus ministers’ emails behind sign-in to protect them from spam.

My rating and notes

Academic Excellence

58 of 100

From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

Graduation rate 35% of score48%
First-year retention 20% of score75%
Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreSAT 1,190 · ACT 25.5
Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of score17 to 1
Instructional spending per student 15% of score$10,436

Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.

Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))

Campus facts

Sports	NCAA Division I · Big Sky Conference
Setting	City
ROTC	Army
Study abroad	Offered
Students per faculty member	17 to 1

Federal data (IPEDS). None of this changes the faith grades.

Cost and value

Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

Value and outcomes
Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS)	7,570
Total students	10,327
Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid	$16,784
Cost of attendance (per year)	$23,570
Median federal debt at graduation	$22,400
Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time	48%
First-year retention	75%
Median earnings 10 years after entry	$44,511
Admission rate	96%
Students receiving Pell grants	28%

Admitted students’ middle range:ACT 23–28

Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT	1190
SAT reading & writing	—
SAT math	—
ACT composite	23–28
Test policy	Considered but not required

Value index: 45 / 100 (how it’s computed)

Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

Local Church

Diocese of Helena

The Most Reverend Austin A. Vetter, Bishop of Helena

Formal address: “Your Excellency”

Source: usccb.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.

About this school’s data

IPEDS unit ID 180489
Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Questions families ask

Is the University of Montana a Catholic college?: No. The University of Montana is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by Griz Catholic.
What is the University of Montana’s Catholic Life Score?: 77 out of 100 (grade B). It measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes, together with academics.
Where is Mass celebrated at the University of Montana?: Mass is listed at Christ the King Parish. Days and times are on this page; please confirm with the parish or campus ministry before you go.

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