Bishop Dewane Blesses New Chapel at Donahue Academy

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Published on Thursday, 29 September 2011 17:48

Bishop Frank Dewane made his first visit to the Donahue Academy Thursday to bless the new Blessed John Paul II Chapel at the Ave Maria school.

The ceremony began with Eucharistic Adoration by the whole school in the gym, then a procession to the chapel, followed by a blessing.

After the blessing, the Academy choirs sang for the bishop, who encouraged the community to make frequent visits to their new chapel.

Students and faculty had done much of the painting and decorating of the chapel themselves.

The chapel was made possible in part by a donation from Ambassador Michael Novak in honor of his departed wife Karen Laub Novak. The gift from Mr. Novak also included substantial funding toward a future new media center at the school.

Headmaster Dan Guernsey used the occasion to announce that the Academy also received a $100,000 donation this week from the LaMothe Family Foundation of Battle Creek, Mi. which would allow construction to begin immediately on the media center as well as new classroom.

The addition of these two new spaces will allow the Academy to accept a pending grant of $50,000 offered last month for state of the art exercise equipment offered by the Sound Body, Sound Mind foundation of California, Dr. Guernsey said.

"We are such a blessed community," the headmaster said.

"We have the loving presence of Jesus here in our school, especially in the blessed Sacrament, and step by step are being blessed by donors who are stepping forward to support our students by providing spaces for them to learn, grow, play and pray."

The additional resources will accommodate a growing student body at Donahue Academy, which has increased its enrollment by 85% over 4 years.

The bishop spent some time touring the school and speaking with students. Bishop Dewane also was able to bless two new rooms added over the summer -- A theology classroom and a new, fully outfitted science lab. The next step, according to Dr. Guernsey, is a campaign to raise funds to outfit the media center with desks, shelves, and computers and then to improve acoustics in the gym where daily Mass is celebrated.