By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
MIAMI GARDENS | On Feb. 4, St. Thomas University celebrated the 15th anniversary of the dedication of St. Anthony Chapel while also honoring the chapel’s benefactors, Joe and Wini Amaturo.
More than 20 years ago, unversity president Msgr. Franklyn Casale and Miami Archbishop John Favalora decided that the university needed its own free-standing chapel. This holy place of worship was designed by Father Jorge Sardinas, an art history professor at the university and gifted artist, who died 15 years ago, shortly after the chapel's dedication.
From the keystone altar quarried in Key Largo to the brilliantly colored, expressionist stained glass windows, the chapel reflects the Caribbean and Florida straits of the university's founding and student community.
The Amaturos made the principal gift to create the chapel because of their deeply held Catholic beliefs and their vision to “keep faith alive for young people.” For 15 years, the university has celebrated daily Mass at the chapel and students have come to pray during exams.
The chapel has now been given a new color palette and two new bronze plaques have been installed: one commemorates the Amaturos and the other the Augustinian priests who founded the university.
