Sacred spaces abound on D.C. Campus

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Caldwell Chapel, the original chapel of The Catholic University of America, offers daily Mass at 12:30 p.m. and 5:10 p.m. Some of its stained-glass windows were removed, cleaned and reinstalled last summer. Courtesy photos

The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., established in 1887, is the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. bishops. Today, it serves more than 3,300 undergraduate students and 2,600 graduate students. With close to 800 faculty members, 176 acres and 50 major buildings, Catholic University is a place of constant academic and social activity.

Adjacent to campus is the renowned Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which is a haven of sanctity from busy university life. But spaces on campus, too, offer opportunities for quiet reflection and prayer for students, faculty and staff alike. These include Caldwell Chapel, the original chapel of Catholic University, which was dedicated in 1888 as St. Paul’s Chapel; St. Vincent de Paul Chapel — the “official” university chapel — was built in 1949 and accommodates more than 300 people; Mary, Mirror of Justice Chapel at CUA’s Columbus School of Law; and the 24-Hour Chapel, attached to St. Vincent Chapel.