NAC breaks ground for $8.5M addition

(Vatican Radio) The Pontifical North American College in Rome broke ground Friday for the construction of a new 10-storey building, expected to open in fall 2014.

Msgr. Michael Farmer, vice-rector of administration, explained why the new addition is necessary.

“We’re blessed at the college basically to have a complete enrolment,” he said.

Enrolment has been at almost 250 seminarians for the past two years, the highest in more than four decades.

“And it is also necessary because of what was not envisioned 54 years ago with the building of the college,” he continued, “which was the formation programs that are required both by the Vatican and by our own bishops conference that have taken place over the past 20 years. So, the new building will address those issues, particularly for pastoral formation and intellectual formation.”

The new 36,000-square-foot tower, which will adjoin the existing building, is designed to meet these requirements with practice chapels for homilies and liturgies, smart classrooms and more reading and study space. The new structure will also house administrative offices and meeting rooms. Technology throughout the campus will also be upgraded.

Archbishop John Myers of Newark, who serves as chairman of the Board of Electors, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony. Listen to the interview of Archbishop Myers with Laura Ieraci:

Funding for the $8.5-million project came from American benefactors James and Miriam Mulva, who were also present at the groundbreaking.

The Pontifical North American College was founded in 1859 to offer priestly formation for American seminarians in Rome. It currently also welcomes seminarians from Canada and Australia.