Over the Years

In 1929, the Gothic top and lantern, patterned after lanterns in Ely Cathedral and in the foyer of St. John's College in Cambridge, were added and the church was enlarged, incorporating as much as possible of the original. The basement was built in 1929 as a formal chapel; after Vatican Council II it was renamed Thomas More Chapel and remodeled for small community liturgies and meeting space.

Cardinal Spellman returned to Rose Hill on Dec. 8, 1948 to dedicate the Fordham War Memorial: On carved oak plaques inside the front door are the names of the 230 Fordham men who died in World War II.

As part of the restoration project of 1990, in addition to the creation of a new main altar, pews were refurbished and confessionals made way for a reconciliation room. The dome was resurfaced and reglazed and a new tile floor installed. Trustee Emeritus George Doty, FCO '38, and his wife, Marie Doty, made a generous gift toward the $1.5 million project.

The church continues to serve the spiritual life of Fordham. Many attend weekly liturgies--the Sunday evening Mass is particularly popular with students, and the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass and Easter Vigil continue to draw large crowds. The church also hosts a series of concerts, from the Fordham University Concert Choir to visiting choirs and the Bronx Arts Ensemble. Graduates return often: Fifty to sixty weddings are performed here each year. On Nov. 30, 1995, more than 600 faculty, administrators, students, alumni and others filled the Church for a Mass of Thanksgiving to commemorate its 150th year. John Cardinal O'Connor served as principal celebrant.

"I like to think of the University Church as the center of our life here at Fordham," said Fordham President Joseph A. O'Hare, S.J. At the Mass to bless the church after the 1990 renovations, he said the work was intended not to promote a new design, but to bring the church's existing beauty to life. In this way, he said, "We not only affirm our faith in the past, but affirm our faith in the future."