Lafayette, LA (KPEL News) - Catholics on the University of Louisiana - Lafayette (UL) campus will have a beautiful, new house of worship in the not-so-distant future. The final phase of a capital campaign to rebuild Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic Church began with the start of the Spring 2024 semester.

WHY?

The current church facility on East St. Mary Boulevard was built more than 80 years ago and is in "grave disrepair." The land that the building sits on is leased from the State of Louisiana with no guarantee for renewal, and the space provides no room for expansion. More than 1,000 students are active participants with the church situated on the UL campus, so more space is needed.

WHERE?

In June of 2022, the Diocese of Lafayette essentially performed a land swap with UL. They gave 5 acres of land next to the university and acquired 1.4 acres across the street from the current Our Lady of Wisdom Church, next to Earl K. Long Gym.

HOW?

The building project budget is $35-million. As of January 9, 2024, the campaign has raised nearly $15-million.

Donations toward the effort can be made online at ourladyofwisdom.org.

WHAT?

The plans include a three-floor structure with a new church building, a student center, green space, and expanded parking area.

The Our Lady of Wisdom Church will seat 534 people. The 25,000 square foot Catholic Student Center will include formation spaces, an Adoration Chapel, bible study rooms, a lecture hall, and a library. The facility will also provide gathering spaces like a cafe, game room, living room, and grand hall for large events and wedding receptions.

WHEN?

The church plans to send the specs out for bid in the Spring of 2024. Construction is projected to begin in the Summer, with a targeted completion date of December 2025.

DESIGN EXPLANATION

The design plans were drawn up by McCrery Architects in Washington, DC, and described by them as follows:

Church

The church design is deeply rooted in an architectural tradition that traces its lineage through the Acadians who settled and brought our Catholic faith to Lafayette. Most of the Acadians came to the New World from the Vendée region of western France after first settling in present-day Nova Scotia. Its people played a central role in the defense of the church during the horrors of the French Revolution. The church building points to the humble but stately medieval churches of Vendée villages as it calls us to emulate our ancestors' determination to preserve the Catholic faith. Its tall Gothic arch windows, steep roof, and buttressed masonry walls are simple but draw our eyes upward to greater heights. The bell tower, centered between the two Century Live Oaks on East St. Mary Boulevard, makes the church a new landmark for the university neighborhood. The windows of the jewel-box-like sanctuary create a light-filled interior, a place fitting for the sacrifice of the Mass on our campus.

Student Center

The Catholic Student Center Cottage Wing facing Girard Park Circle, like the Church, looks to our local history for inspiration. The long double-galleried porch, the deep eaves, and the turreted stair tower take part in a Louisiana building tradition mastered by the architect and Lafayette native, A. Hays Town. Prominently placed off the main entrance of the Cottage is the Adoration Chapel. Its interior is perfectly proportioned to focus on the presence of the Blessed Sacrament for perpetual adoration. It reminds us of Christ's constant presence and how our openness to His presence transforms our lives. The Student Center's cottage theme repeats on the building facade facing East Saint Mary Boulevard. A series of courtyards create a distinct visual and physical connection between the student center and the church, providing students with pleasant and intimate outdoor spaces for relaxation, study, and prayer. The beautiful statue of Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, is relocated to the apse of the church, facing the Cottage Lawn, welcoming all those who walk by and through the church campus.

WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?