Dr. Karen McNay, president of Sacred Heart Schools, gave remarks prior to the liturgy and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Ursuline Innovation STEM Center. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Sacred Heart Schools’ new Ursuline Innovation STEM Center was blessed by Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre on Sept. 24. The 6,000 square foot facility will be used by Sacred Heart Model School and Sacred Heart Academy students this fall. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Sacred Heart Schools’ faculty, staff and students, the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville and members of the public gathered at the new Ursuline Innovation STEM Center for a liturgy and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 24. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Sacred Heart Academy students sang an opening hymn for the blessing of the Ursuline Innovation STEM Center on Sept. 24. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Sacred Heart Schools’ Ursuline Innovation STEM Center was blessed by Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre during a liturgy on Sept. 24. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen) 
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre blessed the Sacred Heart Schools’ Ursuline Innovation STEM Center during a liturgy on Sept. 24. (Record Photo by Olivia Castlen)
Sacred Heart Schools’ new Ursuline Innovation STEM Center was filled Sept. 24 with faculty and staff, students, the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville and the public for a liturgy and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The center, which houses the Ursuline Environmental Education Program and the Ann Cowley Wells ‘60, ‘64 BSEE Design Lab, was blessed by Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre during the liturgy.
The launch of the center is part of Sacred Heart’s recently announced $30 million capital campaign, “Sacred Heart Forever.”
According to a press release from the school, the new center is a result of close collaboration between Sacred Heart Schools and the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville. It serves a “commitment to Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’,” the release said.
“We are excited that our commitment to Laudato Si’ is becoming a reality with the creation of the Ursuline Environmental Education Program and Ursuline Innovation STEM Center,” said Sister Jean Anne Zappa, president of the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville. “It is our hope that this learning facility will prove to be fruitful ground for Sacred Heart students, as they experience first-hand the love of creation as Pope Francis envisioned.”
“In his encyclical Laudato Si’, Pope Francis reminds us that caring for our common home is a path to justice and to peace. Our STEM center and its programs will help our students grow in responsibility for God’s creation.”
— Dr. Karen McNay, president of Sacred Heart Schools
Before the liturgy, Dr. Karen McNay, president of Sacred Heart Schools, reminded those gathered about the relationship between faith and care for creation.
“In his encyclical Laudato Si’, Pope Francis reminds us that caring for our common home is a path to justice and to peace. Our STEM center and its programs will help our students grow in responsibility for God’s creation,” she said.
Archbishop Fabre told the community that it was an honor to “call down God’s blessing upon this building, and, even more importantly, to call down God’s blessing on that which will happen here, which is that young minds will encounter the wonder of creation in science, technology, engineering and math, and, hopefully, all that they encounter here, and all that they will discover here, all that they learn here, will point them back to our loving creator God who has entrusted to us so much.”
The 6,000 square foot facility will be used by Sacred Heart Model School and Sacred Heart Academy students this fall.
The $30 million Sacred Heart Forever campaign goal will fully fund the Ursuline Innovation STEM Center, among other projects. To learn more about the campaign, visit www.shslou.org/sacredheartforever.
