Saint Xavier University, McDonough Chapel and Mercy Ministry Center

Saint Xavier University was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1847 and has been on its current site on Chicago’s south side since 1956. The prominent site for its first chapel and ministry center, which is immediately adjacent to the university’s main entrance, symbolizes the university’s Catholic heritage.
The 200-seat chapel was designed to provide a space for religious services, Eucharistic celebration, concerts for sacred music, and a place for students to participate in silent meditation and prayer. The multipurpose chapel contains flexible seating to accommodate intimate or larger gatherings. The design also provides a reconciliation room, ambulatory area, sacristy, storage areas and an adjacent ministry center. The main entry foyer will be the new home for the university’s historic marble statue of Saint Francis Xavier.
The use of earth tones and natural materials within the building’s interior helps to create a seamless transition between outside and inside. The building also provides the framework for all of the paintings, art glass and bronze sculptures incorporated into the facility.

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