College Councils

Catholic University of America Students, Knights Win Papal Design Contest

College Knights in Action - Spring Edition

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson addresses students at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., during a publicity tour for his new book, A Civilization of Love (HarperOne).  Members of Georgetown University Council 6375, Catholic University of America Council 9542, George Washington University Council 13242, Howard University Council 13730 and American University Council 14465 attended. Supreme Knight Anderson also spoke at the National Press Club, the Catholic Information Center and at Harvard University, the latter of which was attended by members of Harvard’s John Paul II Council 14188..

When Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Mass April 17 at Nationals Park, he will use an altar and chair designed by two students from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

John-Paul Mikolajczyk and Ryan Mullen, first-year graduate students at the university’s School of Architecture and Planning, designed the liturgical furniture as part of a competition jointly sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington and the university’s School of Architecture and Planning. Their designs were chosen from a field of 21 entrants.

Architecture students, working alone or in groups of up to four people, prepared their models and drawings Jan. 18-23. The winner was announced Jan. 29.

“There is something very exciting about this work you designed, so focused on what we believe,” Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington told Mikolajczyk and Mullen.

“When all those people [at the papal Mass] are looking at this, you can say, ‘[The pope] is standing at my altar,’” he added.

The Mass is the only Washington public event of the pope’s upcoming U.S. visit April 15-20.

Originally, Mass organizers were going to set up the sanctuary at the stadium’s second base. By moving the altar to center field, an additional 4,000 people can attend the Mass. According to some estimates, about 45,000 seats will be available for the event.

In designing the winning entry, Mikolajczyk said he tried not to think too much about his work potentially being used by Pope Benedict. “That the pope will use our altar hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said.

Mullen said he and Mikolajczyk “tried to do something simple, but elegant. We were optimistic we had a chance at winning.” The two students also designed the lectern and pulpit that will be used during the papal Mass.

Rachel Bailey of Napa, Calif., and Victoria Engelstad of Bradley Beach, N.J., assisted the winning team. Both are seniors in Catholic University’s undergraduate architecture program.

Mikolajczyk and Mullen’s model includes a 10-foot-by-4-foot altar with a substantial top, a repeating pattern of decorative arches beneath it, and a smaller base. The front of the pulpit — also called an ambo — is adorned with images of the Bible and the Holy Trinity. The tall chair back is decorated with Pope Benedict’s papal coat of arms.

Mikolajczyk and Mullen will work with the university’s architecture faculty and the Washington Archdiocese to finetune the design. They will then construct the altar at the Crough Center, the university’s architecture building.

In addition, Mikolajczyk and Mullen received a $1,500 prize. A second-place winner received $1,000 and five honorable- mention winners received $500.

Mikolajczyk, 23, is from Staten Island, N.Y., and is a member of Father Rosensteel Council 2169 in Silver Spring, Md. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 2006 from Catholic University and is enrolled in the first year of the university’s three-year master of architecture program.

Mullen, 24, is from Manchester, N.H., and is a member of Catholic University of America Council 9542. He earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a bachelor’s in civil engineering in 2007 from Catholic University. He expects to earn his master’s in December 2008.

When the winning design was announced, Archbishop Wuerl said that it was “a tribute to this school of architecture, Catholic University and the quality of students here.” – Reported by Richard Szczepanowski , CNS