Christendom College in Front Royal declared victory on its
comprehensive capital-campaign Oct. 4, exceeding its original $40 million goal with
a final tally of more than $45 million.
The college celebrated the milestone by breaking ground on the
new Christ the King Chapel, which will be a symbol of hope and inspiration not
only to students and faculty, but to all who pass through the Shenandoah
Valley.
“In the midst of our current cultural crisis, people see the need
for an educational institution ready to prepare students to be the Catholic
leaders this world desperately needs,” says college President Timothy
O’Donnell. “This campaign was started in order to ensure that Christendom will
continue to answer this need for years to come.
“So many generous benefactors came forward in support of the
college and so many faculty and staff gave of their time and own resources to
see this campaign to the end, all because they believe that places like
Christendom are necessary in this world,” he said. “We’ve received many
blessings from God during this campaign, and we are so thankful to be able to
declare victory now because of the grace of Christ the King.”
The campaign, titled “A Call to Greatness,” was announced two
years ago, with the aim to complete the effort to raise $40 million by the end
of the college’s 40th anniversary celebrations in 2018.
The college exceeded its three campaign goals: to raise funds for
the Christ the King Chapel Project, double the endowment, and meet the
college’s increasing annual fund needs due to student enrollment growth during
the life of the campaign. All this will help to expand the college’s offerings
while also ensuring its strength and stability.
Construction of the new chapel will begin in the coming months.
It will take between 16 and 19 months to complete. The site of the new chapel
was blessed earlier by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge.
The new chapel will have more than double the seating capacity of
the current chapel and a 116-foot Gothic bell tower that will be visible for
miles. The chapel will have a traditional cruciform structure, with a high
altar handcrafted in Italy and a hand-crafted organ with more than 2,600 pipes.
The chapel also will feature new artwork crafted to reflect the
timeless traditions found in the great cathedrals of Western Europe and
restored traditional sacred art rescued from abandoned historic churches
throughout the United States. The sacred art adorning the chapel, including more
than 100 stained glass windows sponsored by benefactors, will raise the hearts
and minds of the community to heaven and pay homage to the great artistic
traditions of church patrimony.
Find out more
For more information about the campaign or to learn about
dedication opportunities in Christ the King Chapel, go to
campaign.christendom.edu.
