The Saint Thomas More Catholic Church and Campus Ministry is planning to build a new church in the next few years.
Development director Katie Washington said the church has owned a three-acre plot of land since 2020 and has the hope of expanding on the property.
The vision of the new church originated from the late former Pastor Marcin Zahuta, who passed away in March 2020. Father Rhett Williams was installed in July 2020 and inherited the project.
The current chapel is located at the corner of Greene and Pickens streets, behind the Saint Thomas More Student Centre and next to the Singley Apartments. The new church will be located off Henderson Street.
Washington is also in charge of the fundraising for the church and said they are in what's known as the silent phase of fundraising.
"We say it’s silent but not secret. Instead of opening up fundraising with websites or QR codes or whatever it might be to the general population, the fundraising we’re doing now is very much one-on-ones ... It’s very relational,” Washington said. “It’s all about building the relationship and connecting people to the ministry.”
While still in the fundraising stage, Washington said there is no set timeline on when the church will be able to break ground due to fluctuating prices and outside influences but hopes it is within the next three to five years.
The church has been working with McCrery Architects, an architecture firm out of Washington, D.C., that has extensive experience with sacred and liturgical spaces, Washington said. There are only renderings for the project so far, but the church continues to work and connect with the firm.
Washington said the new church will be in a more traditional Catholic style than the existing church.
The plot of land owned by the Saint Thomas More Catholic Church, enclosed by Henderson, Devine and Blossom streets, pictured on April 15, 2025. The church plans to build a new church on the plot of land, which it has owned since 2020.
"The current chapel... it's kind off funky stained glass and it's sort of small and it's just a different look," Washington said. "The new church, they're looking for a much more traditional Catholic style and a parking lot which I think people are excited about."
Campus Minister Annalise Rome said while the church is a beautiful place to worship, she is excited for a bigger space and a more reverent church.
“Father Williams has a lot of hopes and dreams for the future of side chapels and different places… He wants students to be able to get lost in it,” Rome said. “We’re definitely just hoping for it to be a really beautiful place, and … it’s going to be much more noticeable than we are now.”
More masses have been added as the congregation has grown, and folding chairs and speakers have been placed outside for people to sit and attend, Washington said.
Rome said a new church would be able to accommodate even more students.
“We want to build a new church that can house everyone and for unity,” Rome said. “How beautiful would it be where we could fit more people in the chapel, and then we’re able to meet more people because if people typically go to the 5 p.m. mass, they might not meet people who are at the 9 p.m. mass."
Washington said it’s important for the church to be able to meet the needs of the students who want to attend, including having the right amount of space for them.
“If a student comes to mass and they are standing in the back or there's nowhere to sit, why are you going to come back?” Washington said. “For us to have the space for students to come and to worship or to pray or to come for mass is so important and necessary to have space to put those students.”
Second-year nursing student Kate Gieg grew up Catholic and said she wants to continue being involved in her religion even while she’s away from home.
“At the beginning of the year, I went (to Saint Thomas More) once, and I really liked it, and I like being able to have a place to go at home and a place to go here,” Gieg said.
Gieg said she has noticed just how busy the chapel can get, especially on major holidays like Palm Sunday and Easter, and sees how having a bigger church will be beneficial to all that attend.
“I think it would open up a lot more space for those major religious holidays,” Gieg said. “It would give other people the opportunity to try and go … It would encourage other people who might practice at home but can’t find a way to get involved at school to try it out just because it would be new for everybody.”
Rome said she’s excited for the process to continue, and everyone is welcome to the church as well.
“We hope that everyone on campus can just stop in and see it,” Rome said. “It is going to be a thing of beauty.”