Sacred Heart Schools opened the Ursuline Innovation STEM Center on September 24, marking the occasion with a liturgy and ribbon-cutting attended by faculty, staff, students, members of the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, and the public. The new center houses both the Ursuline Environmental Education Program and the Ann Cowley Wells ‘60, ‘64 BSEE Design Lab. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre blessed the facility during the ceremony.

The creation of this center is part of Sacred Heart’s $30 million capital campaign called “Sacred Heart Forever.” The initiative results from a collaboration between Sacred Heart Schools and the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville. According to a press release from Sacred Heart Schools, it reflects their “commitment to Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’.”

Sister Jean Anne Zappa, president of the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, said: “We are excited that our commitment to Laudato Si’ is becoming a reality with the creation of the Ursuline Environmental Education Program and Ursuline Innovation STEM Center. It is our hope that this learning facility will prove to be fruitful ground for Sacred Heart students, as they experience first-hand the love of creation as Pope Francis envisioned.”

Dr. Karen McNay, president of Sacred Heart Schools, addressed attendees before the liturgy about connecting faith with environmental responsibility: “In his encyclical Laudato Si’, Pope Francis reminds us that caring for our common home is a path to justice and to peace. Our STEM center and its programs will help our students grow in responsibility for God’s creation,” she said.

Archbishop Fabre told those gathered: “It was an honor to call down God’s blessing upon this building, and, even more importantly, to call down God’s blessing on that which will happen here, which is that young minds will encounter the wonder of creation in science, technology, engineering and math, and hopefully all that they encounter here...will point them back to our loving creator God who has entrusted to us so much.”

The 6,000 square foot center will be used by students from both Sacred Heart Model School and Sacred Heart Academy beginning this fall. The fundraising goal for “Sacred Heart Forever” aims not only to fully fund this new STEM center but also other projects at Sacred Heart Schools. More information about the campaign can be found at www.shslou.org/sacredheartforever.