Chapel of the Risen Christ to open at Resurrection Cemetery
Catholic Cemeteries has completed construction on the new Chapel of the Risen Christ at Resurrection Cemetery.
The 8,600 square-foot chapel will be available for funeral and special occasion Masses, prayer services and other programs and as a place where daily visitors may visit for prayerful remembrance of loved ones in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
Archbishop Emeritus Robert J. Carlson will celebrate a Mass of Remembrance for those whose remains are entrusted to Catholic Cemeteries at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 23, at the chapel, 7441 Mackenzie Road near Affton. The Mass is open to the public and will be followed by an open house until 2 p.m.
A team including St. Louis Design Alliance Architects, BSI Constructors, Emil Frei &Associates and about two dozen subcontractors collaborated on the project.
It features a sweeping ceiling that extends from eight feet at the entrance to 35 feet above the altar. A circular skylight above the altar makes it a primary focal point, and a near-life-size crucifix behind the altar, a Pietà statue and tabernacle are reminders of the paschal mystery of the dying and rising of the Lord and of His Real Presence. The chapel also includes a pipe organ and exterior bells from the former Sts. Mary and Joseph Church. The park-like grounds and outdoor plaza will provide visitors with space for prayer and reflection.
Abortion amendment update
Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has certified HJR 73, which seeks to amend the constitution to prohibit most abortions in Missouri. Abortions would be allowed for medical emergencies and for fetal anomalies any time throughout pregnancy and in cases of rape and incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. The measure will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot as Amendment 3.
If approved by voters, it would reinstate health and safety inspections at abortion facilities, require parental consent for minors receiving medical procedures, require physicians performing abortions to have nearby hospital admitting privileges, ensure access to care for medical emergencies, ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages and provide medical malpractice protections. The new ballot question also would amend the constitution to ban gender transition surgeries and prescribing medications for gender transition, including puberty blockers, for children younger than 18.
The ACLU filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Hoskins for certifying what it said is “an intentionally misleading and inaccurate summary statement and fair ballot language.”
Meanwhile, a Jackson County judge on July 3 again blocked enforcement of most of Missouri’s abortion-related restrictions. Planned Parenthood said it would resume abortions in Kansas City on July 7. Attorney General Andrew Bailey said he would appeal the decision.
SLU/St. Louis Catholic Academy partnership
A partnership between Saint Louis University’s School of Education’s Herrmann Center for Innovative Catholic Education and St. Louis Catholic Academy has yielded improved test scores and student outcomes in the middle school population after its first year. The SLU School of Education provides resources to St. Louis Catholic Academy’s middle school grades.
“Across all subjects, more than 93% of students were tested in the spring, with 78-85% showing growth from fall to spring,” said Alexandra Boyd, PhD, executive director of school and community partnerships in SLU’s School of Education. “On average, students exceeded expected growth benchmarks by 114% in language, 109% in reading, 84% in math and 88% in science — demonstrating strong academic progress throughout the year.”
The team from SLU provided professional development to the middle school faculty throughout the year. The school also revamped the middle school learning program, implemented a cohort model for core subjects and developed an in-house competition between grades and classes in order to foster positive relationships between students both inside and outside the classroom.
Love and Life celebration
The archdiocesan Office of Natural Family Planning will host its annual Love and Life Celebration on two Sundays in July at seven parishes. In honor of the anniversary of “Humanae Vitae,” the Love and Life Celebration offers the chance to come together to reflect on the beauty of Church teaching and celebrate the gift of marriage and family. Masses will be celebrated on Sunday, July 20, at 9:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart in Valley Park and 10 a.m. at St. Gabriel the Archangel in St. Louis. On Sunday, July 27, Masses will be celebrated at 9 a.m. at Assumption in Mattese, 9 a.m. at Mary Queen of Peace in Webster Groves, 9 a.m. at St. Justin Martyr in Sunset Hills, 8:45 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph in Cottleville and 10 a.m. at St. Joseph in Imperial.
