Chicago lies in the heartland of the continental United States, and CTU, with its unique history and mission, is at the center of the U.S. Catholic church. This advantageous setting and CTU's distinctive character have attracted a succession of distinguished religious centers and programs to relocate to the campus earning the school a reputation as the "center of centers."

Centers sponsored by CTU include: The Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Center, the Hesburgh Sabbatical Program, the Institute of Religious Formation, the Chicago Center for Global Ministry (co-sponsored with Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and McCormick Theological Seminary), and the Center for the Study of Religious Life (co-sponsored by CTU, the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious).

Independent centers on campus include: the Institute for Sexuality Studies, the National Coalition for Church Vocations, the National Religious Vocation Conference, the Religious Brothers Conference, and the Institutue for spiritual leadership.