In the summer of 2023, the St. Josephs Academy chapel will undergo renovations to allow liturgies to be held there and make it a more comfortable environment for prayer. These renovations have been planned for more than a year, and thanks to the generosity of the 2022 St. Joe Auction they will be able to begin construction this summer.

At the St. Joe auction last year, the Academy raised more than $1million. Most of this came from the generosity of the Sisters of St. Joseph, who donated $700,000 for our new chapel renovations, but St. Joe also received $388,000 over the course of the night. These donations will go toward refurbishing, new seating, improved kneelers, better cooling systems, and more. The director of Campus Ministry, Ms. Anna Hotop, is very grateful for these recent donations,

“I’m always in awe of the generosity of the sisters and alumnae, there is no community like the St. Joe community, “ Ms. Hotop said. 

Making the chapel a comfortable and welcoming place is vital for the Academy and for the Sisters. The renovations will bring a new life to the chapel, and the refurbishing and adding lights to the stained glass will make it more noticeable from the street. The goal of the chapel is to elevate the prayer lives of the Angels and allow people to experience it in their own ways. Ms. Hotop emphasizes the importance of a community place of worship and appreciates the enthusiasm of the administration and the sisters for this project.

Junior Mackenzie Golomski is excited about the new renovations.
“I can’t wait to see the new chapel. Being able to go and experience the new features in my free periods will help me reflect, and it gives me a space to become closer to God,” Mackenzie said.

The chapel was constructed with the school to give the Sisters a place of worship, but it has undergone drastic changes since. One thing that remains the same is the bell tower. The Academy would like to add a computerized system that includes a screen in the chapel and the ability to ring the bells each day.

A list of renovations as well as a handout describing the upgrades and the history of the chapel can be found in Campus Ministry. The administration and students of St. Joe would once again like to thank the Sisters of St. Joseph for their generous donation to improve the faith lives and the facilities for the students.