Dearborn — What has been a place of prayer and gathering for area Catholic college students since the early 1960s now has a more intentional look to it.

The Gabriel Richard Catholic Newman Center, located at 5001 Evergreen Road between the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Henry Ford College, has long been a home for faith and community for students, but a completed redesign to the Archdiocese of Detroit-owned building gives the chapel a fresh, reverent new look.

“When I arrived here four years ago, there was only a small room for veneration of the Blessed Sacrament and Mass was said in the main center area,” said Fr. Tony Fox, OFM Conv., campus minister of the Gabriel Richard Newman Center. “I decided it was necessary for a much more permanent place to celebrate Mass.”

This led Fr. Fox and Catholics on Campus at the University of Michigan-Dearborn to plan a redesign of the center.

Backed by the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Office of Young Adult Ministry, along with a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, the center underwent renovations in February 2017.

What used to be one large gathering space used with a small space cut out for the Blessed Sacrament has been transformed into a chapel that seats about 20 people.

“A couple of us sat down trying to figure out what would be the most appropriate place for a chapel,” said Jenifer Cwiek, a volunteer at the Gabriel Richard Newman Center. “We were using a big open room that wasn’t personal or intentional. It was OK, but not a specific place that would be quiet and peaceful.” On Nov. 29, Auxiliary Bishop Arturo Cepeda blessed the Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, a small wooden-floor chapel complete with an permanent tabernacle and altar, along with Stations of the Cross and statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Francis.

“I think it fosters intentionality of worship,” Cwiek said of the new chapel. “We’re in a more sacred setting. You have saints statues and stained-glass windows, making it more visually oriented toward the Lord. It’s not just a big open space, but the aesthetics draw in a person as they worship. That’s the goal of the chapel.”

Before the new configuration, students used to place chairs in a small space surrounding the Blessed Sacrament, usually with space for just four people at most.

The new layout will allow students to take a break from studying to come adore the Eucharist or pray quietly, said Hannah Kargul, president of Catholics on Campus for the University of Michigan-Dearborn. “It’s so special to have a beautiful room to pray in,” Kargul said. “We still use the main room for praise and worship during the week, but it’s good to have a separate place set aside to pray.”

The Gabriel Richard Newman Center offers Mass at 12:25 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m., followed by dinner, adoration, prayer and praise with night prayer and benediction. Confessions are available on Wednesday during adoration or by appointment with Fr. Fox.

“A lot of what we’re doing now is reaching out to students on campus to build up the community,” Kargul said. “It’s such a blessing to have the center on campus, and we’re now telling people we have this space, but it’s also important to build up the community. Community is such an important part of the faith, and it’s amazing to have access to the sacrament on campus.”

Service times at the Gabriel Richard Newman Center

Mass on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:15 p.m.; Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. followed by adoration with confessions available. Visit www.grcnewmancenterdearborn.org for more information.