Old College, built in 1843 by the founder of the
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campu ...
, Rev.
Edward Sorin
Edward Frederick Sorin (French: Édouard Sorin), C.S.C. (February 6, 1814October 31, 1893) was a French-born priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross and the founder of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and of St. Edward's University in Au ...
, C.S.C., and the rest of the Holy Cross brothers, is the oldest standing building on campus. Together with other historic structures of the university, it is on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
.
History
When university founder Rev.
Edward Sorin
Edward Frederick Sorin (French: Édouard Sorin), C.S.C. (February 6, 1814October 31, 1893) was a French-born priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross and the founder of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and of St. Edward's University in Au ...
arrived to the site of the present campus in 1842, the only building present was the
Log Chapel
The log chapel was originally built in 1831 by Rev. Stephen Badin as a mission to the Potawatomi Indians in what would become northern Indiana. It was one of the first Catholic places of worship in Northern Indiana. It was given in 1842 to Fr. ...
. Rev. Sorin had waited for the arrival of an architect, Mr. Marsile, to build a main building for his university, but the architect did not arrive until August 1843; without the support of Mr. Marsile, Sorin decided to build in the meantime this smaller structure in the spring of 1843. This simple brick building, which was ready by the fall of 1843, initially served as dormitories for the students and Holy Cross priests and brothers as well as classroom, clothing room, bakery, and dining hall. In the fall of 1843, Old College hosted the school's first five students, as well as seven more who joined the in the following months.
When the priests and students moved into the new college building (the first iteration of the
Notre Dame Main Building) built in the fall of 1844, Old College was converted into a residence for the Holy Cross sisters, who also worked at the university and provided the cooking and laundry for the youngest students, as well as a temporary infirmary before that also was moved to the new college building.
![Old College at Notre Dame](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Old_College_at_Notre_Dame.jpg)
In its history, it housed the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the Brothers of Holy Cross, and it was a college bakery.
Today, the undergraduate seminary for the United States Province of the
Congregation of Holy Cross
, image = Congregation of Holy Cross.svg
, image_size = 150px
, abbreviation = CSC
, formation =
, founder = Blessed Fr. Basile-Antoine Marie Moreau, C.S.C.
, founding_location = ...
, Old College is open to those undergraduate men who wish to discern a call to the
religious life
Consecrated life (also known as religious life) is a state of life in the Catholic Church lived by those faithful who are called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way. It includes those in institutes of consecrated life (religious and se ...
, while at the same time working to obtain an undergraduate degree. The community combines a structured formation program with the advantages of a Notre Dame educational experience.
Formation and academics
Old Collegians are introduced to religious life in Holy Cross through daily
Eucharist
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
and the
Liturgy of the Hours
The Liturgy of the Hours (Latin: ''Liturgia Horarum'') or Divine Office (Latin: ''Officium Divinum'') or ''Opus Dei'' ("Work of God") are a set of Catholic prayers comprising the canonical hours, often also referred to as the breviary, of the ...
, spiritual direction, service placements, retreats, one-on-one meetings with their chaplains, and weekly community gatherings. Their academic requirements include 30 credits of philosophy and 12 of theology, but they are free to pursue various degrees, depending upon their academic interests.
![Notre Dame Old College](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Notre_Dame_Old_College.jpg)
The men of Old College are actively engaged in the community life of the Holy Cross religious community on campus. In addition the Old Collegians work closely with the major seminarians at
Moreau Seminary
Moreau may refer to:
People
*Moreau (surname)
Places
* Moreau, New York
*Moreau River (disambiguation)
Music
*An alternate name for the band Cousteau, used for the album ''Nova Scotia'' in the United States for legal reasons
In fiction
*Dr. M ...
. Joint activities between the two programs include events such as the annual Eucharistic Procession, community dinners, and assisting with prayer and liturgy at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Old Collegians also collaborate with the older seminarians in off-campus activities such as the annual
March for Life March for Life may refer to:
* March for Life (Washington, D.C.), an annual anti-abortion gathering held in Washington, D.C.
* March for Life (Paris), an annual demonstration held in Paris protesting abortion
* March for Life (Prague), an annual ...
and the
Mundelein Seminary
The University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML) is a private Roman Catholic seminary in Mundelein, Illinois. It is the principal seminary and school of theology for the formation of priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois. It was c ...
basketball tournament. Men in their senior year of Old College will move into Moreau Seminary to continue their formation so these events play an important role in building brotherhood among the Holy Cross seminarians.
References
External links
Official websiteHistorical Marker Database SocietyVocations Office
{{University of Notre Dame
Congregation of Holy Cross
School buildings completed in 1843
University of Notre Dame residence halls
National Register of Historic Places in St. Joseph County, Indiana
Historic district contributing properties in Indiana
1843 establishments in Indiana
University and college buildings completed in 1843