Blessings abound

The families of St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Auburn have much to be thankful for this season.
The celebration begins Tuesday with the blessing of the new Auburn Catholic Campus Ministry Center at 115 Mitcham Ave. The Most Rev. Thomas J. Rodi, archbishop of Mobile, will be on hand for the occasion. St. Michael’s pastor, the Rev. Msgr. Bill Skoneki, said Rodi will return next month to dedicate the new church building at 1100 N. College St.
“I am really looking forward to Christmas,” Skoneki admitted, since it will be in the brand-new 600-seat sanctuary.

A new place
A new location for the campus ministry center is part of a master plan for St. Michael’s, Skoneki said. When the congregation recognized that the church on East Magnolia Avenue was no longer able to serve all of its needs, they had an opportunity to not only build new, but also build a place specifically for the growing college student population. The church and the campus ministry were neighbors on the East Magnolia property, but under the new plan the two now have separate locations both designed to best serve the needs of their specific groups.
For the student center, the diocese purchased the Mitcham Avenue property and began work to renovate the existing two-story structure and construction on an expansive addition.
So while the student center will no longer be within walking distance of the main church, the additional space and features offer new opportunities for the growing ministry.
Skoneki joked that by next month they will essentially become “one church, (with) two locations.” He said the campus ministry center will serve as a place for worship Monday through Saturday and the church will be for Sunday worship.
But more importantly, Skoneki said the project gives the students “a facility to call their own.”

For the students
The East Magnolia student center provides convenient use of the church’s kitchen and chapel, but it’s not big enough to accommodate large groups. With the growing number of Catholic Auburn University students attending Mass each week, Skoneki said, it warranted more space. Founding documents from the church in 1912 showed the congregation included 25 college students, Skoneki said, but now estimates are closer to 2,000. And he sees about 500 of them each week at Mass.
“Right now, this building is obviously not large enough to accommodate that,” he said.
The growth puts St. Michael’s in a unique situation from other Catholic churches across the nation that are losing members, forcing some to close their doors. Skoneki said St. Michael’s is able to grow its membership because it is the only Catholic church in Auburn and it is a mile from campus.
“It’s a good problem to have,” he said.

A new home
It sounds simple, but Skoneki said St. Michael’s could begin to see even more students at the new center simply because it has a sign in front. There wasn’t one for the East Magnolia student center.
“Right now, you really have to know where we are to get here,” he said.
Skoneki said the existing two-story red brick house on Mitcham has now been renovated to include a chapel, TV lounge, offices and study rooms. Using the same historic character as the house, a new building was built behind it to house a large gathering space and a kitchen. The two buildings are joined by a courtyard. Twenty-five parking spaces were also planned on the property. The entire complex is about 5,000 square feet, much larger than the 1,200 square foot space students use currently.
Building construction is complete, but Skoneki said it hasn’t been used yet since the parking lot and driveway have yet to be paved and landscaping has not been planted.
Furniture from the current ministry center has been moved to the new building, and yet Skoneki said the new space still looks empty.
“I think it will be something to be proud of,” he said. “It marks a new chapter for us, one to celebrate.”

Campus Ministry Center Blessing
WHO:  The public is invited to attend the blessing of the new Auburn Catholic Ministry Center. The blessing will be celebrated by Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi, archbishop of Mobile.
WHEN: 4 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10. A reception will follow.
WHERE: 115 Mitcham Ave., in Auburn