Gonzaga University is a private Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga. The campus houses 105 buildings across 131 acres (437,000 m�) of grassland along the Spokane River, in a residential setting half a mile (800 m) from downtown Spokane. The university was founded by Father Joseph Cataldo, SJ (Joseph Cataldo), an Italian-born priest and missionary who wished to create a Catholic school in the Pacific Northwest for local Native Americans (Native Americans in the United States).