Founded in 2001, the Center for Religion and Public Discourse at Saint Xavier University, Chicago, illustrates how centers and institutes can express Catholic identity and serve the university community and society by providing opportunities for thoughtful and civil discourse. Although the Center does not currently support basic research or fund fellows or scholars in residence, all other activities and accomplishments of the Center differ only in scale from those of larger well-endowed institutes and centers. This article describes activities of the Center that even tuition-driven Catholic colleges and universities can adopt to express and enhance their Catholic identity and academic mission, thus making the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and Catholic Social Teaching accessible, understandable, and meaningful.