Father Michael Black isn’t your normal priest.

He plays on a basketball team called the “Runnin’ Revs” with other area pastors. He taught himself how to play the guitar in a year and a half. He knows who John Mayer is and is disappointed that Phish broke up.

However, what makes Black stand out, and almost seems a bit off, is what he calls “Catholicism on Tap,” which meets every third Thursday at Eduardo’s, 214 E. Lincoln Highway.

“Some people are intimidated by the church,” Black said. “Eduardo’s is a casual environment and a nice way to get in touch.”

The group talks about current issues as well. Everything from the current war and the previous election to abortion.

“Even if you’re under 21, you’re more than welcome to come,” Black said. “If you’re legal, have a beer. If not, have a coke.”

Black is trying to bring in a new wave of students to the Newman Catholic Center, 512 Normal Road, to discover religion and is, in a sense, trying to make it “cool” again.

“Newman’s whole purpose is to exist for college students,” Black said. “That’s why we are right on campus and so close to the university.”

The church offers masses for students on Wednesday and Sunday nights at 9 p.m. so that practicing Catholics can still attend services and not have to worry about missing classes.

“I call the Sunday night service the ‘no excuses’ mass,” Black said. “No bed-head is allowed.”

“On an average Sunday night, we get about 250 to 300 students.”

Even with the Super Bowl this previous Sunday and despite the rain, the evening mass still had a good showing.

Then again, who wouldn’t go to church if they served pizza nuggets afterwards?

Every first Sunday of the month, after the evening mass, pizza nuggets are served in the Knox Community Room in the basement of the Newman Center.

“More people tend to hang out afterwards,” Black said. “They stay for the nuggets.”

Even during the most strenuous week of the semester, finals week, the Newman Center is open 24 hours for a quiet study area. Free dinner is served and coffee and donuts are always available for students to keep them going through the long nights.

“When I first went there, I had trouble finding a place to sit,” said Jason Snelten, a junior electrical engineering major. “There were a good amount of students there.”

“This past year, the place was packed,” Black said. “I wouldn’t have been surprised if someone was in my office studying.”

The Newman Center boasts several amenities as well. On top of several lounges overflowing with couches and a library, the center has computers with high speed internet for their members to use.

In the summertime, the grassy hill in the back of the church doubles as an amphitheater lawn and movies are shows against the building with an LCD projector.

For anyone interested in any of the Newman Center events, visit their Web site at www.newman-niu.org or call 787-7770.