Dominican University Plans Chapel for All Faiths

January 3, 2007

Author: Jennifer Upshaw

Source: Marin Independent Journal

http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_4945724

Plans are under way to build a multifaith campus chapel to honor Dominican University's Catholic heritage.

The board of trustees has approved a resolution to develop a place of worship that welcomes students and community members of all faiths. The new chapel program replaces plans for a larger, more elaborate project.

"It will be a chapel that reflects the Catholic heritage - it will be very inclusive," Dominican President Joseph Fink said. "The general idea is to honor the past but be mindful of the future."

The chapel, which will include a Catholic reservation chapel, will be called Dominican Benincasa. The reservation chapel, designed as a quiet area for personal reflection and prayer, will house the Holy Eucharist in a separate but integrated area, officials said.

The project is expected to cost about $3 million. A location has not yet been announced. A committee aimed at spearheading the effort is expected to be appointed this month, officials said.

The chapel is part of a master plan approved nearly a decade ago to include a recreation center, residence halls, a science center and athletic fields.