Loyola High School in northwest Detroit on Wednesday will welcome community members, religious leaders, and top donors to celebrate the grand opening of a new Chapel, Welcome Center, and Student Courtyard.
The school is located at 15325 Pinehurst St. near the Lodge Freeway and Wyoming Avenue, and serves approximately 150 all-male students on an annual basis — predominantly African American young men from the surrounding community.
Capping off a $9 million “Empower Loyola” capital campaign, the campus expansion includes:
- The Wayne & Joan Webber Welcome Center at the corner of Fenkell and Pinehurst streets, which will be the new main entrance and provide easy entry and exit for students, parents, and visitors alike, along with office and meeting space for staff and community groups.
- The John & Margaret Clark Memorial Chapel Complex, which will house the St. Peter Claver Chapel, and be utilized as the daily Morning Prayer space for Loyola students, staff and administrators. The chapel spans 5,250 square feet and features natural oak, interlocking front doors that lead into a 225-seat gathering space with multiple skylights, and a massive, multi-pane picture window that will bathe the crucifix and travertine marble altar in natural sunlight. It is the first all-new place of Catholic worship in the City of Detroit since the mid-1960s.
In one of his first public appearances since being installed as the new Archbishop of Detroit, the Most Reverend Edward J. Weisenburger will preside over the official opening and blessing of the new chapel, before a crowd of approximately 200 Loyola supporters.
“Throughout his career, His Excellency has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to encouraging young people to grow in their faith and service toward others, which mirrors our mission at Loyola,’ says Deborale Richardson-Phillips, president of Loyola. “I hope our students will have the opportunity for many more interactions with the Archbishop in the future.”
The “Empower Loyola” campaign publicly kicked off in September 2023.
“The entire Loyola family is filled with deep gratitude for the overwhelming generosity of our donors in making this grand opening day possible,” says Barb Runyon, chair of the Loyola board. “The spirit of giving back and paying it forward from so many in our community was constantly on display throughout our campaign.”
Along with the Welcome Center and Chapel, donor support led to construction of a Student Courtyard with concrete pavers, benches, decorative lighting, and landscaping between the school and chapel. The space, previously an asphalt parking lot, is also now the permanent home for the school’s iconic, deep blue, 8-foot-tall and 6-foot wide Bulldog, which is Loyola’s mascot and the school’s nickname (Bulldogs).
Founded in August 1993 as a joint venture between the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Jesuits of the USA Midwest Province, over each of the last 14 years, 100 percent of Loyola graduates have been accepted to either a four- or a two-year college.
A Catholic school in the Jesuit tradition, the school’s overall mission is to create “Men for Others, Men for Detroit,” by developing young men who are always seeking to grow, serve others, and are committed to working for justice and equality in the world.
For more information, visit loyolahsdetroit.org.
