Our Academy Chapel Is Now Open
On Friday, August 21, our faculty and staff gathered to celebrate the first Mass in our new Two Hearts Chapel. After months of preparation, work, and anticipation, it was a moment of great joy and grace for our Academy community.
This chapel is a gift for all of us. In the middle of classrooms, meetings, schedules, responsibilities, and the many needs of our students and families, we now have a sacred place where we can step away for a few moments and simply be with God. On good days and difficult ones, we can come here and pray, “Jesus, here I am. You know what I am carrying.”
The chapel is entrusted to the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The Heart of Jesus reminds us that we are deeply loved, while the Heart of Mary teaches us to receive that love and give ourselves generously in service to others.
It was especially meaningful that our first Mass was celebrated on the Memorial of Pope St. Pius X, a saint who encouraged frequent Holy Communion and strongly promoted children receiving the Eucharist once they had reached the age of reason. He wanted children close to Jesus, making him a fitting patron for this special beginning.
The chapel also preserves important pieces of our parish history. Its pews and two stained-glass windows come from our original church. One window depicts the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, a name meaning “House of Bread,” pointing beautifully toward Christ, the Bread of Life. The second depicts the institution of the Eucharist through the chalice and the Precious Blood of Christ.
Together, they lead us from Bethlehem to the altar, from the manger to the Eucharist.
The tabernacle and monstrance come from our former Perpetual Adoration Chapel. The main altar is still under construction, and we hope the chapel will be fully completed within approximately two months.
May this chapel become our home within our home, a place of prayer, peace, gratitude, and renewal, where we remember that we do not carry our mission alone before God each day.
