Initiated by Boston Archbishop Richard Cushing in the early 1960s, the Catholic chapel at Bridgewater State University was intended to serve the large number of Catholic undergraduates attending the college at the time.
Bridgewater State University, Saint Basil Chapel & Catholic Center
Anticipating the growth of the college, Cushing responded to the appeal of Catholic faculty to create a chapel and education center.
Without such facilities, Cushing said in a fundraising appeal, students “could spend years in the pursuit of secular knowledge and probably neglect their most important duty – ‘To Know Christ and to Live Christ.’” Funds to build the chapel came from a range of Catholic alumni, students, faculty and friends as well as the Newman Center on campus.
Designs for the chapel show a chapel seating area for 300 and a meeting room for 160 in addition to the sacristy, chaplain’s office, general office and library. Today the chapel is used for mass and a range of other Catholic gatherings.
For more information: https://services.bridgew.edu/Directory/search_dept.cfm?dept=36
