BUILD TOGETHER
Capital Campaign for the Brown-RISD Catholic Center
Help Us Reach Our Goal
We are establishing a Catholic Center near campus in order to affirm and strengthen Catholic identity at Brown and RISD. The Center will provide a home-away-from-home for students where they can congregate and invite their peers. We seek to forge a generation of spiritual leaders in the Church and in the world for decades to come.
Growing & Deepening...TOGETHER
The BRCC is seeing remarkable growth in the depth of student engagement, and many students are seeking a space that is explicitly and intentionally Catholic in its orientation. The absence of a Catholic Center for Brown & RISD is conspicuous, relative to other religious, ethnic, and other identity-based groups on campus and relative to Catholic ministries at most of our peer institutions.
Our Need for a Catholic Center
While we intend to continue using Brown's Manning Chapel as our principal liturgical space, a Catholic Center will be regularly used for large fellowship gatherings, small group meetings and activities and functions that are currently dispersed across campus.
A Center will provide...
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A dedicated chapel large enough for weekday Masses as well as informal individual and communal prayer throughout the day.
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Gathering space for events like brunch after Sunday Mass: expansive, comfortable, and welcoming.
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Room for our 10+ Bible study groups, meditation groups, and individual contemplative environment available with no scheduling conflicts.
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Increased possibilities for relationship-building among a diverse student body, and between grad and undergrad students.
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Inviting space to foster and increase student activity and engage those who don't come to Mass.
Our Target Space - The Future Catholic Center
The ideal home for the Brown-RISD Catholic Center sits on the corner of Prospect & Angell Streets, conveniently located between Brown & RISD, close to both Manning Chapel and Brown's Office of Chaplains & Religious Life. It boasts
- ample space for community gatherings
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small group meeting rooms
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a modern kitchen
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beautiful outdoor space
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room to build a chapel
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energy efficient systems
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little need for renovation
Click to see the Floor Plan >>
Learn about Naming
Opportunties in the Center >>
Our Plan for Growth
In the spring of 2019, the BRCC conducted a feasibility study focused on the appeal for a free-standing center for the BRCC. The Board of Trustees of the Thomas Becket Foundation approved moving forward with a capital campaign, with a working goal of $3.5 million.
We will purchase the property at 51 Prospect Street, and then renovate and furnish it to suit our purpose. This includes modest modifications to ensure accessibility and safety, the furnishing of meeting rooms and gathering space, and the establishment of a fitting chapel for weekday Mass & informal communal and individual prayer.
The BUILD TOGETHER Campaign
Benefits of Participating
Our students are immediate beneficiaries, but consider:
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Special naming opportunities in the new Center are available for generous gifts at the $15,000 level and above.
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Brown University will offer donor credit for contributions to this campaign.
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We are able to accept gifts of cash and appreciated securities. All contributions to the Thomas Becket Foundation are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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For multi-year pledges, we can work out a payment schedule that fits your needs.
To learn more, please contact Fr. Edmund at chaplain@brownrisdcatholic.org
