(Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)
MADISON — As classes get underway at the start of another new school year on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, more than 60 students are taking up residence in a building that combines the old with the new.
Saturday, Aug. 23, was the official opening and blessing for Lumen House, a project of the Cathedral Parish in Madison.
The 19-apartment complex is located in the old Holy Redeemer School building next to Holy Redeemer Church in downtown Madison.
The historic renovation for adaptive reuse project took about a year to complete with groundbreaking taking place last September.
Lumen House supports the ministry of St. Paul University Catholic Center by offering rent scholarships to students active there. Spiritual programs offered on site are organized by St. Paul’s.
Bishop’s blessing
Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison blessed the new apartment complex a few days after students began moving in for the semester.
“This is terrific,” Bishop Morlino said. He asked everyone to pray in a special way for “everyone who lives here and everyone who is going to live here.”
After the blessing, Msgr. Kevin Holmes, pastor of Cathedral Parish, thanked Mark Landgraf, the project contractor, for all his work in making Lumen House possible. Monsignor Holmes recognized him as the person who “envisioned the possibility and did all of the things necessary to make this complicated operation come to success.”
Inside Lumen House
The apartments at Lumen House vary in size from studio, one, two, three, four, and five bedrooms, along with three to five bedroom two-story penthouse suites.
The units are fully-furnished with modern appliances, cable TV, and high speed Internet. There is also a work-out facility and indoor bike storage.
One of the spiritual perks of Lumen House is its proximity to Holy Redeemer Church and its perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel.
Only having lived there a couple of days, first year UW-Madison graduate student Rachel Milani said, “It’s been really nice. Getting to daily Mass has been much easier.” Milani added she chose Lumen House because she wanted to live in a Catholic community and be close to her classes on campus.
Lumen House also has an oratory where Bible studies, opportunities for prayer, and some social events will be available. There are currently three Bible studies scheduled at Lumen House —for men, women, and graduate students and young professionals.
A few finishing touches are still being put on Lumen House, including completing the front lobby area, which will feature historical pictures of Holy Redeemer School as well as a board with announcements for activities and other events of interest.
Building a community
For those who have been involved with the Lumen House project from the beginning, it’s a great feeling to see it ready to house students.
While the project was able to preserve the historic school building, it also “provides a brand new space for a community to grow of young people that are very involved with their faith,” said Paul Kachelmeier, member of Cathedral Parish and longtime project volunteer.
There is still one vacancy available at Lumen House. Sixty-five of its 66 spaces have been rented.
For more information on Lumen House, visit www.isthmuscatholic.org/lumen-house or call 608-229-6650.