Catholic Center finds new home

After waiting through four years of renovation and construction, members of the Catholic Student Center will find a new home this month in the Falcone-Arena House off East Campus.

The move marks a significant moment in the history of the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry Center faith community, which was primarily housed for about 40 years in the Duke Chapel basement, Catholic community leaders said.

"What we're so proud of is that this is really a milestone for the Duke Catholic students and the robust activities that they plan for the larger community," said Ellen McArdle, operations manager for the center.

Previously, when Catholic students and community members hosted events that required larger gathering spaces, such as Sunday mass, they were required to rent out campus locations, such as the Richard White Lecture Hall or Page Auditorium.

With the completion of the renovations at the Falcone-Arena House, though, many of these events can now be held at the new off-East location.

"It gives us greater visibility on campus," said Joe Vetter, director and priest of the Catholic center.

Both Vetter and McArdle estimated that between 20 and 25 percent of undergraduate students practice some form of Catholicism. They cited the large presence of Catholics as a catalyst in pursuing the services allowed with an independent location.

"We needed more space for activities, and this house provided us with that opportunity," Vetter added.

With the increased space-the new residence is approximately 5,800 sq. ft., a drastic change from the 600-square-feet office in the Chapel basement-Catholic community leaders are promoting the location as a "home-like" environment for Catholic students to come and meet one another.

Weekly events, such as student-cooked dinners on Tuesday nights, will now be held in the home.

"Students decided that we wanted this to be a home away from home," said Peer Ministry Coordinator Courtney Olmsted, Pratt '06. "In the downstairs, it doesn't seem like you're coming into some institution."

Although the house only opened this month, McArdle said it has been well-received thus far, with more than 250 students arriving for a beginning-of-the-year cookout geared toward getting to know newly arrived freshmen.

In addition to meeting rooms, a kitchen and a yet-to-be-completed chapel, the house also offers four residential rooms where three seniors and Olmsted will be living.

Originally built in the early 1900s by Benjamin Duke--one of the University's greatest benefactors--the home passed through the hands of some of Duke's most well-known figures, such as Wallace Wade and William Wannamaker.

"It's a historic house," Vetter said. "It has strong historical ties to the University."

With that history, however, also came problems with renovations. The age of the pre-renovation house took its toll on the structure.

"The house was decrepit. It was a massive renovation project," McArdle said. "Father Joe [Vetter] insisted that it maintain a home-like appeal. And he felt strongly about it. It wasn't easy, to hold that course, but he did, and let me tell you, it's impressive."