|
BY PRISCILLA GREEAR
Staff Writer
ATLANTA--The dream of the late Archbishop James P. Lyke, OFM, for a place
where African-American students could draw spiritual strength, develop a
healthy self-concept and learn what it means to be a black Catholic was
realized with the completion of Lyke House Catholic Center at Atlanta
University Center.
A Mass of dedication for the new Catholic center honoring the late
archbishop was held Oct. 18. Archbishop John F. Donoghue presided at the Mass,
celebrated by Bishop Edward K. Braxton, auxiliary bishop of St. Louis, and
concelebrated by about 15 other priests, including Father Edward Branch, the
campus chaplain.
Approximately 300 supporters including Howard Brown, director of the Office
for Black Catholic Ministry, Sandra Smith, Ph.D., superintendent of schools,
and Deacon Fred Sambrone, assistant chaplain, gathered outside the building at
dusk as the priests and bishops assembled atop a hill above them.
The two-story center is located in the heart of the AUC campus at 809
Beckwith St., adjacent to the Robert Woodruff Library. Six institutions make up
the AUC: Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark-Atlanta University, Morris
Brown College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Interdenominational Theological
Center. Catholic students account for approximately seven percent of the
population at the colleges, which, when combined, represent the largest center
of African-American scholarship in the world.
Father Branch opened the dedication speaking of how the building is modeled
after a church hewn from rock in Lalibela, Ethiopia, that was one of 12 built
by King Lalibela to celebrate African Christian antiquity one thousand years
ago. The cruciform shape in the building and its poured concrete material,
which was sand-blasted, were inspired by the church in Lalibela.
Father Branch said the new center reflects the continuity of the faith from
apostolic times, when the Book of Acts records how Philip took the Gospel to
Africa in the person of the Ethiopian.
Archbishop Donoghue described the new house as a center of learning.
“After much work and prayer by so many members of our community, we
gather now to bless and dedicate this new Lyke House--the Catholic student
center. Here the young will learn of their Catholic faith and heritage, and
adults will deepen their commitment to live as Christ has taught us. We pray
that the work of God may always echo from these walls,” he said. “We
ask you now to bless us and all who will use this Lyke House. May all who come
here know the presence of Christ, experience the joy of his friendship, and
grow in his love.”
The archbishop then blessed all corners of the building as the congregation
sang “We Are Marching in the Light of God” and “Black
Thankfulness” before processing into the new church.
In his homily Bishop Braxton challenged students to live and grow at the
center in the spirit of his close friend Archbishop Lyke, bishop of Atlanta
from 1990-92, who sought a place where students could cultivate spirit and
intellect as well as morality, community, service and worship. He said that the
archbishop had a love of life and that his home was filled with gospel,
classical and blues music, beautiful African-American art and an overflowing
bookcase.
“The most important presence in Lyke’s house was dear Jim himself,
a singular human being, a handsome African-American man, an unassuming son of
Francis of Assisi, a caring host who was without guile, and an irreplaceable
friend, with a capacity for love and compassion, especially for the poor, that
was remarkable,” he said. “He was an exceptional priest and bishop of
the universal Church whose deep faith in God and manifest love for Jesus Christ
and His Church touched all who encountered him.”
He said that if Archbishop Lyke were alive he would embrace attendees at the
dedication, welcome them into his house and listen with interest to their
stories, inquire about AU activities and the Scriptures proclaimed. He would
tell students not to smoke or overeat and that for Christians, university life
is not only about learning more but also about being, caring and sharing more.
He would ask them what Christ means to them.
Archbishop Lyke would challenge them, he continued, to consider how racism
in the church, addressed in a 1979 pastoral letter from the bishops, still
exists, but to work to promote black vocations, leadership and affirmative
action and to embrace their African-American identity and share their blackness
with the entire church. Bishop Braxton said the archbishop would tell them not
to define themselves as minorities, a label that feeds into a sense of
inferiority, even for the sake of affirmative action, and that all ethnic
groups are equally American.
“If you are going to be in Lyke’s house you have to know how this
man walked, how this man felt. If this is going to be Lyke’s house you
certainly have to do your reading, your homework.”
Bishop Braxton challenged the congregation further.
“Black Catholics must play an ever increasing role of challenging the
church in her catholicity, in her universality, openness to all,” he said.
“Do not forget that you’ve come this far by faith and the principal
motivation and inspiration for black Catholics must be the life of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ.”
Bishop Braxton applauded the completion of the center and encouraged
students to work with Father Branch.
“He (Archbishop Lyke) would look at the glory of Lyke House. He would
be proud of what has been brought here to Atlanta University.”
Father Branch then thanked William Stanley and Ivenue Love-Stanley, of the
architectural firm Stanley, Love-Stanley, P.C. of Atlanta, for their
outstanding work on the five-year project. Stanley and Love-Stanley then
presented Father Branch with a cross from Lalibela. He then thanked the
building committee, which began meeting in 1994 and was headed by Merrine
McDonald, a Clark-Atlanta University graduate and advisory committee member,
and the capital campaign committee headed by Herman Reese, Ed.D. He also
thanked many other supporters, among them, Tramell Alexander, who “carried
the torch extremely well” while assisting with the ministry from 1985-90.
“It is just the understatement to tell you how long and hard these
people have worked. I think these people appreciate this building more than I
do,” he said.
He thanked the Cistercian monks at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit,
Conyers, who made the building’s windows, celebrating Africa’s early
gift of monasticism to the church. The 12 crosses on the first of two levels of
windows are representations of the crosses created when King Lalibela decreed
that every Christian should wear a cross. The second tier has various
representations of the Sankofa Bird and other African Christian symbols for
community.
Archbishop Donoghue closed the Mass thanking and congratulating the
project’s many supporters and Father Branch for taking on the project in
1990. The combined choirs from the African-American parishes of the archdiocese
led the enthusiastic congregation in songs including “We’ve Come this
Far by Faith,” “Jesus is Here Right Now” and “Lift
Ev’ry Voice and Sing.”
The Catholic center’s Newman ministry dates back to 1951 at Morehouse
when students began meeting for Mass at Danforth Chapel. A house was eventually
purchased on Raymond Street for the Newman Catholic ministry. In 1976 the
archdiocese appointed St. Anthony’s Church to oversee the growing ministry
and the late Father William Calhoun took charge. Then Archbishop Eugene Marino,
SSJ, initiated a feasibility study for the center and asked Father Branch to
come to Atlanta and lead the project. The next bishop was Archbishop Lyke who
gave even greater impetus for development. The center had most recently been
located in a small house on James P. Brawley Drive.
Lyke House, an 11,000-square-foot building, was built by VT/HCB and relied
on private donations and the archdiocesan capital campaign, “Building the
Church of Tomorrow,” for the project’s cost of $2.5 million. The
archdiocese broke ground for the center in 1997 and the facility was completed
this past August.
The building includes a Newman Center and daily Mass chapel equipped for
video conference, satellite, DVC and VCR projection and computer generated
imaging. Also part of the facility, the Thea Bowman Media Center houses the
Archbishop Lyke Library collection and has media access and computer resources
for global communication. African heritage is reflected throughout the building
in art donated by Archbishop Lyke including an oil painting of all Franciscan
saints of color. The center has recreation and meeting rooms, a kitchen and
sacristy and the Alan Pinado Administration Suite.
Pinado, director of the Real Estate Institute of Clark-Atlanta
University/Morehouse College, gathered 18 parcels of land for the new site and
served as a co-chairman on the capital campaign committee. He said that during
the acquisition process the committee strove to help those giving up their land
to relocate, as many made sacrifices, such as Elaine Terrell, who sold her home
built by her parents. For him the center is the fulfillment of a long-held
wish.
“It’s a little overwhelming and it’s difficult to even
believe that it’s really happened. It’s truly a dream come true.
Archbishop Lyke was a strong boost for all of us, a remarkable man who gave his
personal commitment to the project and inspired us all. I’m convinced
Archbishop Lyke is still helping us, praying for us, supporting us,” he
said, fighting back tears.
A parishioner at St. Anthony’s, Pinado added that he wants to minister
full-time at the center after retirement. He is inspired by the students, who
are involved in many activities ranging from building Habitat houses and
attending retreats and Bible study to tutoring and teaching tournament level
chess to youth. Students have also just begun doing web page designs for
churches.
“To come on Sunday and see 70 students, no less, up here and leading
the liturgy--it’s inspiring. I love to come here because the students
inspire me and nourish my faith.”
McDonald was also inspired by the students. “Seeing all the things that
people are doing there--it’s very inspiring. I think I got as much out of
it as I could ever give.”
While she knew it was a great project initially, she didn’t realize the
center’s true significance until she saw “what it meant to
(students), the mission of the center and all the things Father Branch wants to
do. It really matters.”
With the increased size of the new center, the challenge now is for growth
in spirit, she said.
“The students are very excited about the building, very enthusiastic
about it … The challenge now is, we’ve got this big building, we
can’t just be about the building. Our life has to reflect it also.
That’s the challenge for all of us--to grow in spirit, to be really
changed in the way we live.”
Spelman College sophomore Cecilia Clark, Newman ministry treasurer, was one
student in awe of the building.
“To go from that same little building to the big, massive
structure--it’s just neat to see what can be done if you believe in
it.”
Wearing an Ethiopian cross given to her and other students by Father Branch,
she said she particularly likes the building’s technology, such as how the
chapel Mass can now be seen in other areas of the building. She said that the
continually growing Catholic group has always been close-knit and active in
community service, but that now they’ll just have more room to grow.
“It’s given me a sense of belonging--having a place that’s
open and welcome. It really doesn’t matter what religion. You are always
welcome here.”
Morehouse alumnus Martin Turner, who attended from California after having
served as president of the Newman ministry for two years and on the building
committee, was happy the home was named after Archbishop Lyke.
“He felt that he was doing something for the students … He really
cared, a really good guy,” he said. At times Turner said he went with
Father Branch to dinner at the archbishop’s house and the two men inspired
him to further explore his faith and decide things for himself.
“Archbishop Lyke (was) a very engaging person. He just asked me about
who I was, what I was doing in school, my dreams and aspirations,” he
recalled.
Following the dedication, Father Branch said that the new building is a
dream come true for all who’ve been part of the ministry since 1951,
adding that while it was a long, slow process it came right on time for his
25th anniversary in the priesthood.
“It finally came to fruition in my 25th year … It couldn’t
have happened at a better time. To be able to celebrate both at the same time
is a big deal,” he said.
Father Branch said the building symbolizes the dynamic and growing presence
of the church at AU as well as the many seeds of faith that were planted in
those involved in the building project. With about 200 students currently
involved in the ministry, he said that the building’s uniqueness has
attracted curious visitors and that “the building will create the ministry
as we go along.”
As Pope John Paul II said that culture is an essential element in spreading
the Gospel, Father Branch said the center would continue incorporating African
prayers and history into programs and liturgies to raise consciousness of
African heritage, noting that the building has no Western symbols. His vision
for Lyke House and all Newman ministries is to form more theologically literate
Catholics.
“I want students to learn so that when they graduate they can go to any
parish and be spiritually literate and biblically literate so that they can do
things in their parishes. That takes commitment for that to happen.”
|
