Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center

Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center

Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center ¢

Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart acquired the Christian Science Church on Main Highway to serve as the school’s new center for spiritual life — The Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center. This facility allows for the expansion of our spirituality program and a quiet place for individual prayer, reflection, and contemplation. Once opened, Carrollton will enjoy a dedicated space suitable for a multifaceted approach to spiritual instruction to help grow the interior spirit of students, alumnae, and adults alike.

The campaign for the Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center is a $10 million capital project that will fund the new worship, education, and reflection space for the spiritual growth of the Carrollton community.

The image of Mater as envisioned by St. Madeleine Sophie, is the familiar pull that welcomes any member of the Sacred Heart family to any of the Society’s schools. No matter where we could find ourselves in the world, Mater means we are home.

Over the history of the Society, through turmoil, displacements, and diasporas, Mater has been a source of hope and faith for individuals, families, and their communities. In South Florida, the Chapel and Center will provide spiritual unity, Christian community, growth of the interior spirit, and the faith formation that calls us to be One Body in this school of Christ’s Heart in Miami.

BENEFITS:

n Dedicated spiritual and worship space for all. The richness of the Catholic inheritance and tradition can be practiced and explored in a space suited for retreats, study, prayer, liturgy, and devotion.

n Expanding spirituality to the community-atlarge through programs and accessibility. Carrollton has been an important part of the exponential growth of Miami. The Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center will expand the reach of the Sacred Heart mission to the external community.

n Enhancing the Sacred Heart mission. Through the education, Catholic practice, continued personal growth, and compassionate action addressed in the foundational principles of the Goals and Criteria at the core of every Sacred Heart school, the Chapel and Center will enhance the mission and vision of Saint Madeleine Sophie for our internal community.

n Nurturing of the interior spirit. Mater’s countenance displays a profound sense of peace. Hers is a serene posture and face. In her image we understand her sense of the Divine as she experienced Him herself. She knows in each of us dwells the spark of the Divine, of God’s spirit. The Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center beckons all to develop our internal life.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

In 1913, City of Miami pioneer, Mrs. Jesse Smith Moore, donated roughly an acre of her property in South Coconut Grove to build a church adhering to the tenets of the Christian Science Society, and hired prominent architect Walter DeGarmo to design it. In 1940 the Second Church of Christ Scientist congregation brought in Richard Kiehnel to design the new auditorium and auxiliary facilities that exist today. Both men would prove to have strong ties to Carrollton. The latter as the architect for El Jardin, and the former as the grandfather of one of the original students that opened Carrollton, Mary DeGarmo, Class of 1969, whose mother, Elizabeth Madden DeGarmo, was a Sacred Heart alumna from Grand Coteau.

FACILITIES

In 1941 the new auditorium was built directly in front of the prior structure to accommodate more worshipers on its main floor and balcony. A grand main façade was also added. The current spaces include: the sanctuary and accompanying sacristy, entrance hall, library, choral balcony, spirituality center, covered breezeway, and the administration wing.

PRAYER TO MATER

Mother Marie-Thérèse de Lescure, RSCJ, Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart at the beginning of the 20th century, wrote this prayer to Mater.

Under the pressure of over-activity which at times consumes us, disturbs us, or scatters our energies in doing what is visible and accidental let us come to our Mater.

She is the Mother of the Invisible and the Mother of the Essential.

Let us ask her to detach us, to free us from all that is not important, to lead us on, and to fix our gaze upon the Invisible which her own eyes look upon:

the Invisible Presence, the Invisible Life, the Invisible Action, the Invisible Love, all those things which are eternal values in us and the great realities of faith.

May she keep us throughout our busy and overcrowded days in the radiance of things that are not seen and firm as if we beheld the Invisible.

In the midst of non-essentials which invite and often distract us, we run the risk of encumbering our beings and confusing our values.

May she give us the right understanding of the Essential and a hunger for it.

One thing alone is necessary the will of God and the work of God’s love.

May Mater give us this singleness of vision so that we, too, may see the Invisible and the Essential in all. Amen

CATHOLIC RELICS

A first class relic is the body or a fragment of the body of a saint, such as bone, blood, or flesh. Second class relics are possessions that a saint owned, and third class relics are objects that have been touched to a first or second class relic, or the saint has touched him or herself.

Carrollton is honored to have in its archives a selection of first, second and third class relics which have been gifted to us from the Society of the Sacred Heart, other religious orders, and devout individuals who have chosen to share their personal heirlooms with the Carrollton community. First class relics are usually kept in Catholic churches. Dating back to the early Church Councils of Nicaea and Trent it was already the norm that an altar should contain a relic. In this tradition, the Mater Admirabilis Chapel will hold a specially selected relic from the Carrollton Archives. The veneration of the relics of the saints reflects a belief that the saints in heaven intercede for those on earth.

The Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center Existing Floorplan

Naming Opportunities – Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center

Key Points

1. Carrollton leadership is excited to make an announcement many years in the making. We have acquired the Christian Science Church property located across the street from the Barat campus to serve as a chapel and spirituality center for the Carrollton community.

2. The Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart will be a place for inspiration, a place to seek refuge and a place to model the Sacred Heart values and teachings. Mater Admirabilis is the depiction of Mary, the Mother of God, which is displayed in every Sacred Heart school and foundation across the world. To walk into any Sacred Heart school and see Mater is to be welcomed home. We remain committed to continuing Carrollton’s 60-year relationship with our parish, St. Hugh.

3. The purchase of the Christian Science Church property is a fiscally sound decision for Carrollton and will have no financial impact on the school’s current operations. There will also be no impact on tuition as funding for this purchase comes from our designated Building Fund and major gifts efforts. Tuition increases strictly support the existing operations of the school, not the acquisition of property.

The Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center FAQ’s

Why did Carrollton purchase the property?

Carrollton’s chapel allows only one section of a class. A facility that can congregate an entire school division supports Carrollton’s commitment to the building of community as a Christian value through communal prayer and the sharing of our Sacred Heart charism.

How did Carrollton afford the purchase?

Carrollton has a Building Fund derived from investments and donations. This fund was established to allow the school to begin construction of new facilities or make strategic purchases of property while in the process of raising funds. The funds do not come from tuition.

Will the purchase result in an increase in tuition?

No. Tuition increases strictly support the existing operations of the school, not the acquisition of property.

How

will this affect our relationship with St. Hugh?

Carrollton remains committed to its long-standing relationship with St. Hugh. St. Hugh will continue to be the facility that allows the entire school to gather under one roof. Often reserving St. Hugh runs into conflicts with the parish for such occasions as funerals, and with the St. Hugh school for its own use such as their school Masses. This space allows Carrollton to have services, classes, and expand other spiritual exercises on its own schedule without conflicting schedules and without rental fees.

The Mater Admirabilis Chapel and Spirituality Center Gift/Pledge Form

DONOR INFORMATION

Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City, State Zip _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone (Home) __________________________________________ Email ___________________________________________________

GIFT/PLEDGE AMOUNT

GIFT:  I (we) hereby contribute a total of $____________ cash and/or assets to Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart.

PLEDGE:  I (we) pledge a total of $____________ cash and/or assets to Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart

 I would like the amount of $____________ from my total donation to be designated to The Mater Admirabilis Chapel.

 I would like the amount of $____________ from my total donation to be designated to the Fund for Carrollton.

GIFT/PLEDGE DETAILS

 I would like to make my contribution as a one-time GIFT of $____________ OR  I would like to make my contribution as a PLEDGE in multiple payments:

Please bill me beginning on ____________ and thereafter  monthly  quarterly  annually  other ____________

I (we) wish to have this donation spread over  1 year  2 years  3 years  other ____________

$____________ payment amount to be allotted The Mater Admirabilis Chapel.

$____________ payment amount to be allotted to the Fund for Carrollton.

 I (we) have made provisions to include Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in my (our) will/estate planning.

CONTRIBUTION FORM

I (we) plan to make my (our) contribution in the form of  cash  check  charge  stock  property  other ______________________

Please charge my credit card: (circle one) AMEX/ VISA /MC number _____________________________________________________

Expiration date ___________ Sec. Code_______ Authorized Signature ___________________________________________________

LISTING

(Donors will be recognized in campaign materials unless an anonymous gift is requested.) Please use the following name(s) in all acknowledgments: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Signature(s) _________________________________________________________________________________ Date ________________

Please make checks, corporate matches and stock transfers payable to Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the law.

Mail your gift or pledge to: Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart

3747 Main Highway, Miami, Florida 33133-5997 • 305-446-5673