Holy Rosary Redevelopment Corporation
The group sponsoring the Buy-A-Brick campaign is the Holy Rosary Redevelopment Corporation.
The mission of the Holy Rosary Redevelopment Corporation is to restore the 3-story building of Holy Rosary Institute, to return it to a place of prominence in the community, and to recommit the building to the founder's mission of making Holy Rosary a center for educational, economic, health, social, cultural and spiritual development.
History of Holy Rosary Institute
In 1913, Father Philip Keller, a Divine Word Missionary priest, purchased 82 acres of land on the outskirts of the town of Lafayette for the purpose of building a school to further his mission of educating African American Catholics in southwest Louisiana. This was 17 years after Plessey vs. Ferguson made African Americans second-class citizens in the country.
Fr. Keller collaborated with other religious communities who had similar missions. The Sisters of the Holy Family provided financial support for the purchase of the land and teachers for the school. As a result of their financial support, the Sisters of the Holy Family became owners of the land. Mother Katharine Drexel, a Sister of the Blessed Sacrament, donated funds to help build the school. The school became a monumental symbol of the three religious communities' shared commitment to the African American community and social justice which their faith compelled them to undertake.
Holy Rosary became a fountain of talent and inspiration for Catholic African Americans in southwest Louisiana and has graduated some of the finest doctors, lawyers, educators and professionals in the country. The structure was more than a building. Its sacredness had begun to come into focus in its later years. Mother Katharine Drexel became Saint Katharine Drexel and Henriette Delille, the founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family became Venerable Henriette Delille and is on the path to sainthood. Father Keller was the conduit for their ministries. Therefore, Holy Rosary is the product of three saintly people.
It is the mission of the corporation to restore the 3-story building to its place of prominence in the African American community in Lafayette, Louisiana.
You can help extend the legacy of Holy Rosary Institute and beautify its grounds by purchasing a brick for the prayer garden and the pathway in front of the school. Your gift will be a lasting tribute honoring a family member, former student, special teacher,
staff member, club, organization; or commemorate a memorial, graduation year or special occasion. The possibilities are unlimited!
Example
For questions please contact SR. Greta Jupiter at [email protected]
