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The Chapel and Fine Arts Campaign

Our proposed chapel exterior

The Chapel

The founding families of Aquinas Academy wanted Holy Mass to be at the center of each school day. 29 years later, Mass continues to be joyfully celebrated in the middle of nearly every school day, bringing together over 500 students and faculty in our Chapel to give glory to God and receive the sacrament of the Eucharist. And throughout the school day, students and faculty regularly visit the Chapel to pray before the Blessed Sacrament and receive the sacrament of Confession. In short, the highlight of each day at Aquinas is coming together as a faith community in our Chapel to worship Our Lord.

While it’s a great blessing that so many at Aquinas attend daily Mass, we can no longer accommodate our entire community in the current Chapel space, even with many standing in the rear and side aisles. Beyond the lack of adequate space, our Chapel has had virtually no improvements since its construction in the early 1950’s -- pews and kneelers are broken, windows are cracking, flooring is decrepit, and ancient heating and ventilation systems (with no A/C) are barely functioning. A space that should be inspiring our students to lift their hearts and minds to God is instead often a distraction to doing so because of its disrepair.As shown herein, our plans address each of these needs, while also providing much-needed additional classroom space in the Chapel basement for our music and art programs.

Our chapel during daily Mass

Our chapel during daily Mass

Our goals for The Aquinas Chapel and Fine Arts Campaign:

  • Increase seating capacity from 460 to about 710.

  • Provide adequate heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

  • Improve the beauty and sacredness of the space.

  • Increase the number of classrooms for Art and Music.

  • Accommodate future growth in the layout of the 2-story 30 foot Chapel addition.

Representatives from Granda presented the proposed plans and answered questions during a presentation that took place on October 15, 2025.

Chapel Campaign Presentation

Our Proposed Design

Click on an image to enlarge.

Our current chapel first floor plans

Our current chapel first floor plans

Our proposed chapel first floor plans

Our proposed chapel first floor plans

Our current chapel interior, view facing east

Our current chapel interior, view facing east

Our proposed chapel interior, view facing east

Our proposed chapel interior, view facing east

Our proposed chapel interior, view facing west

Our proposed chapel interior, view facing west

Current ground floor plans

Current ground floor plans

Proposed ground floor plans allow for expanded art classroom space

Proposed ground floor plans allow for expanded art classroom space.

Sanctuary

Through our sacred space designer Granda, we have the opportunity to acquire a beautiful and inspiring altarpiece depicted below. This piece would come from a recently closed convent in Spain. It was one of the first liturgical designs by Father Felix Granda, the founder of Granda, one of the world’s leading Catholic liturgical art and design firms. It is the same design incorporated in the Chalice shown below used by Pope Leo in the celebration of his first Mass as Pontiff.

Click on an image to enlarge.

Sanctuary Candidate for the Aquinas Chapel

Sanctuary Candidate for the Aquinas Chapel

Architect's sketch of the sanctuary placement

Architect's sketch of the sanctuary placement

A large, ornate wooden structure with intricate carvings and decorations, featuring a central figure surrounded by smaller figures and architectural elements.
The image shows a man in religious attire holding a chalice and standing in front of an ornate architectural background.

A version of the Sanctuary design was seen on the Chalice used by Pope Leo XIV at his first Mass as Pontif.

The image shows a close-up of a person's face, with the text %22Evangelizing through Beauty%22 prominently displayed in the background.

Granda has a long history of designing, creating and restoring liturgical spaces, furniture, and vestments. 

Fine Arts Addition

One of our goals has been to strengthen our fine arts programs, particularly our music programs. We want to offer a greater variety of opportunities for students to explore their musical interests and develop their skills through participation in school-based ensembles like bands, orchestras, musical theatre productions, and choirs.

To that end, we have recently added a highly-qualified music teacher to our faculty to offer students a variety of instrumental and band options. But we need additional space to accommodate these enhanced music programs and their growing student participation. Our plans address this need by adding 2 to 3 music classrooms in the expansion of the Chapel basement.

A group of musicians, some seated and some standing, performing on various instruments in a rehearsal or performance setting with a blue-walled background.
A group of people in colorful clothing are sitting and posing in front of a vibrant mural depicting a domed building and a celestial scene.
The image depicts a theatrical stage setting with several individuals dressed in colorful, whimsical costumes, including a person in an orange furry outfit and another in a pink dress. The background features a vibrant, abstract mural with various shapes and patterns.
A young boy is holding up a colorful painting depicting a landscape with mountains, a house, and a red structure in the background.
students playing the flute
A group of people, likely a choir or musical ensemble, standing together in a performance space with a piano in the foreground.
A young girl with long brown hair is playing a large golden harp against a dark background.
The image shows three young women sitting around a table, engaged in what appears to be a collaborative project or activity. The background suggests a classroom or workspace setting, with shelves and storage units visible.
A young woman in a red polka dot dress is playing a flute on a stage with a blue backdrop.
A large group of people, including both adults and children, are gathered in a gymnasium-like setting, with a piano player and a conductor leading a musical performance or rehearsal.
A group of people, likely students, are gathered on a balcony overlooking a mural depicting a starry night sky, with a brick building in the background.

Stained Glass

Many years ago, Aquinas was blessed to receive a large number of beautiful stained glass pieces (sampling pictured below) from a Catholic church that was closing in Boston. While we have kept most of the pieces in storage, we had several restored to become the current beautiful stained glass centerpiece of our sanctuary space in memory of a deceased and much-beloved son of one of our founding families. We hope this Campaign will enable us to replace the Chapel’s windows with these inspiring pieces.

Click on an image to enlarge.

The image depicts three stained glass windows featuring religious imagery, including figures of saints and religious symbols, set against a dark background.
Three stained glass panels depicting religious figures in ornate robes and halos, set against a backdrop of intricate patterns and colors.
Vibrant stained glass windows depicting religious figures and scenes, with intricate patterns and colors filling the frames.
Stained glass windows depicting three religious figures, each with intricate and colorful designs in the background.
The image displays a series of stained glass windows depicting religious and spiritual imagery, including figures, symbols, and architectural elements in vibrant colors and intricate designs.

Expected Project Timeline

  • April 2025  — Begin donor solicitations (Ongoing)
  • June 2025 — Engage Architects
  • July 2025 — Engage Construction Manager
  • October 2025 — Complete Architectural Drawings/Plans and obtain GuaranteedMaximum Price amount
  • November 2025 — Begin formal bidding process for construction contractor(s)
  • February 2026 — Select Contractor(s)
  • March/April 2026 — Obtain building permits and related approvals
  • April 2026 — Commence Construction

The Aquinas Advantage

Aquinas Academy is one of the great success stories in independent Catholic education. As the first and only parent-founded and lay governed independent Catholic school in the history of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Aquinas has grown from 13 students at its founding in 1996 to over 530 students today in grades K-12.Aquinas has consistently had the highest scores as a school in the Diocese on the ACRE test (Assessment of Children/Youth Religious Education) measuring students’ knowledge of the Catholic faith

Our students regularly gain admission to some of the most selective colleges in the country. 37% of Aquinas alumni have earned an AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honors, or AP Scholar with Distinction award. The national average for 2022 graduates was 10.3%.

Of the 72 Aquinas Academy students who took 142 AP Exams in 2024, 90% had a passing score of 3 or higher.

Learn more about Aquinas Academy

Mission and Vision Key Highlights Faith Formation Academics Fine Arts Programs

 

Aquinas Academy Middle School students

Join us in bringing this vision to life!

We invite you to prayerfully consider supporting our Chapel and Fine Arts Campaign, to create a spiritual home at the heart of our school where students will encounter Christ in the Eucharist, grow in prayer, and deepen their Catholic faith.  Our online giving form allows you to make a one-time gift or pledge, which you may spread out over a period of up to three years.

Support the Chapel and Fine Arts Campaign

Donor Levels

A Donor Plaque will be placed in the Fine Arts Wing recognizing support for the Chapel and classrooms at the following levels.  Our online giving form allows you to make a one-time gift or pledge, which you may spread out over a period of up to three years.  

Leadership Gifts

$500,000+

Major Benefactors

$50,000+

Gold Patrons

$30,000+

Silver Patrons

$10,000+

Gold Builders

$3,000

Silver Builders

$1,000

Friends

$250-$900

 

Plaque Recognition Gifts

These specific items may be donated, with additional recognition on the Donor Plaque placed in the Fine Arts Wing. Our online giving form allows you to make a one-time gift or pledge, which you may spread out over a period of up to three years.  

Stained Glass Window Plaque 

17 Total

$20,000

Stations of the Cross Plaque

$15,000

Large Pew Plaque

$5,000

Votive Candle Plaque

names included in a single plaque behind the votive candles

 

$5,000

Small Pew Plaque

$3,000