College seminary leaders break ground for new chapel

A beacon of God’s love

MOUNT HOLLY — Shovels tossed red dirt and prayers rose into the evening air May 1 as St. Joseph College Seminary leaders and supporters broke ground for a permanent chapel.

Hundreds of guests gathered on the exact site of the future chapel for the ceremony, held on the Solemnity of St. Joseph the Worker – a special day for the college seminary community. White lines on the ground around them marked the boundaries of the new structure, and a cluster of colorful balloons suspended in the air marked the height of the future chapel’s roof ridge: 61 feet.

The 9,026-square-foot building is the second major construction phase for St. Joseph College Seminary, which now houses 21 men who are discerning the priesthood for the Diocese of Charlotte while earning their degree at nearby Belmont Abbey College.

Father Matthew Kauth, rector, told the crowd that the seminary itself and the future chapel will serve as a beacon of God’s love in a world that often turns its face away from hope.

“This building is an artisan’s work – it is for you to come here, to gain strength and renewed hope,” Father Kauth said. “There are plenty in the world peddling doom and forecasting utter destruction…we are not buying what they are selling. We are happy indeed. We have a chance in life to do something beautiful for God.”

Prior to the groundbreaking, Father Kauth reflected on the benefits the new chapel will bring to the college seminary and to the growing Charlotte diocese.

“This is the culmination of 10 years of planning and dreaming and praying,” he said. “The chapel on any campus is, of course, the home of the Lord. This chapel will not only enhance the prayer lives of the seminarians, but also enable us to welcome more visitors to the seminary.”

“We currently have about 1,000 visitors a year and we can’t accommodate all those who want to visit with the current space,” he continued. “This will give Catholics from around the diocese a place to come for renewal, retreats and days of recollection. We want the seminary to be a place that welcomes people and renews their hope.”

The college seminary’s current, smaller chapel was originally designed as a lecture and banquet hall and will be used as such once the new chapel and meeting spaces are ready.

Besides the chapel that can seat up to 150 people, the project will include offices, a piazza and a welcoming hall designed to accommodate visitors from across the diocese. Fundraising to pay for the $22 million project was successful, yet Father Kauth noted that they expect the final price tag to be closer to $25 million to accommodate the growing program.

“Due to the generosity of the many donors to this project, we were able to add more spaces for the seminarians and faithful to come together,” he said. "To fund the whole project, we are making one more push, inviting broader involvement.”

Construction is expected to take at least 18 months. Architectural firm Michael G. Imber Architects of San Antonio, Texas, and Creech & Associates PLLC of Charlotte led the design effort with Father Kauth. Edifice LLC will oversee the construction work, which is not expected to interfere with the college seminary’s daily operations.

A procession kicked off Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony, followed by prayers and hymns led by the seminarians. Father Patrick Winslow, chancellor of the diocese, blessed with holy water the site and everyone gathered.

“With over a half a million Catholics in North Carolina, we have extraordinary growth – truly a blessing,” Father Winslow said.

He credited “the hand of God” for orchestrating all the people and all the efforts that came together to make the college seminary, and this latest milestone, a reality.

The college seminary will help train priests who will then go out to the parishes and minister to the diocese’s growing population, he said, and the new seminary chapel will be an integral part of the seminarians’ formation process.

Donors and their families, clergy and seminary staff beamed as they donned hard hats and took turns tossing shovelfuls of dirt to mark the groundbreaking.

A simple wooden cross stood next to the pile of dirt, made by the seminarians from trees on the property. Making a wooden cross to commemorate each milestone in the college seminary’s development – from the seminary’s groundbreaking in 2018 to its opening in 2020 – has become a tradition for the seminarians.

David and Shari Benore traveled from their home in Greenville, South Carolina, to take part in the event. The couple first met Father Jason Christian, the college seminary’s academic dean, when they were members of St. John the Baptist Parish in Tryon, where he then served as pastor. From him, they learned about the college seminary and have become devoted supporters. They both said it was “surreal” to see that support lead to them lifting shovels of dirt at the chapel’s beginning.

“We fell in love with the seminary from the beginning and knew we wanted to play a part,” David Benore said. “The chapel is going to be gorgeous.”

Supporter Joe Gigler of Charlotte recalled the day of the college seminary’s groundbreaking, which took place in the midst of Hurricane Florence’s fury passing through the area in 2018.

“It’s overwhelming to be here for this and to think where we have come since the seminary started,” Gigler said. “It’s wonderful to come out here and realize the commitment of everyone involved. The chapel is going to be an incredible space. I originally came from Pittsburgh, and in that area parishes are closing. Here we are building schools, churches and seminaries. I’ve been here for 40 years, and the growth has been amazing. It’s such an exciting time to be a Catholic in this part of North Carolina.”

— Christina Lee Knauss. Photos by Christina Lee Knauss and Patricia L. Guilfoyle