The sanctity of St. Thomas Aquinas was dismantled as the demolition process began
Publication date: December 11, 2023
Travis McAfee
The Rev. Father Jason Sharbaugh distributes communion to parishioners and alumni Nov. 28 during a suspension Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish in Fayetteville.
More than 200 students and Catholics in northwest Arkansas witnessed a rare Mass on Nov. 28 when the Diocese of St. Thomas Aquinas at the University of Arkansas was withdrawn from service.
For over 63 years, the church has served Catholic students and staff, but as the population on campus grows, a newer building is needed to better serve the community.
A new church is scheduled to open in late 2025 or early 2026 on the same site, but before construction could begin — and even before demolition of the current building could begin — the university parish had to be dismantled, or taken out of commission.
Father Andrew Hart, the diocese’s theological advisor, said church law provides criteria for understanding church consecration and deconsecration.
“In canon law, a church is a sacred building dedicated to divine worship,” Father Hart said. “If the church can no longer be used for divine worship, or if there is another serious reason, the bishop of the diocese may allow it to be used for an unholy (“profane” or “secular”) purpose, but not one that is “profane” or “indecent.”
Father Hart said Canon 1222 of the Code of Canon Law provides details about the requirements for what a bishop must do before making such a declaration. He said the Cessation Mass is held as a “final service of divine worship,” during which sacred objects such as the altar and statues are removed.
Father Jason Sherbaugh, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas since 2017, said that this Mass carries a lot of symbolism.
“When we entered Mass, we were dressed in white — white never means the end, it is about the Resurrection,” Father Sherbo said. “The readings came from the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas…Bishop (Anthony B.) Taylor spoke of our transition.”
Campus Minister Adam Koehler, who lectured during the Mass, said the Retirement Mass was “very bittersweet in many ways but sweeter than bitter.”
“All day yesterday, I was feeling many different emotions while thinking about and preparing for the evening Mass,” Kohler said. St. Thomas has been my work home for the past eight and a half years, and it was also my home away from home during my time as an undergraduate at the University of Arkansas from 2008 to 2012. As Mass approached, I saw everyone entering the church. On the last time for Mass, I was filled with joy, peace and gratitude.
Deacon Norm DeBrian, chairman of the D.C. Campaign Committee, said the Mass provides an opportunity to look to the future.
“I love St. Thomas, and the new church and student center will impact many for years to come,” DeBrian said. “Father Jason has led this charge, and we are so grateful to him and what the team has accomplished; This was urgently needed, as the building was beyond repair. I was at St. Thomas in the early 1970s, then to St. Joseph in Fayetteville during my formation (diaconate), and returned to St. Thomas in 2010. … We were so grateful to have the students, staff, and friends there.”
After Communion, Bishop Taylor read the decree of deconsecration. The decree states that the church “has fallen into disrepair; It no longer provides adequate pastoral service to the faithful; Demolition is required in order to build a suitable new church for the same reasons; It would be so expensive to modernize or expand it that there is no realistic possibility of repairing it.
“These words are powerful,” Father Sherbaugh said. “But it lets you know that words of blessing are just as powerful. …Words bring sacramental truths, they bring blessings and they take away that blessing so we can tear down what was once blessed.”
Now that the parish has been decommissioned, Father Sherbaugh and staff are working to remove the “sacred objects and religious artifacts” still in the church.
“Sacred objects are not thrown away; “It is either given to certain people or placed in the new church,” Father Sherbo said. “We’re going to try that with other usable items, like our chairs. Those will go to Our Lady of Sorrows in Northwest Arkansas.”
“We will take our altars with us. … There are things like our stained glass windows that have a number of the saints and teachers of the church and of course St. Thomas Aquinas himself. These things will be in our new church, and they will be backlit. Our organ will be placed at the front of the church.”
Although some religious artifacts may not be in the same rooms or locations they were in the old parish, they will still be in the new building, Father Sherbaugh said.
Some items will also be given to other parishes and dioceses.
“For example, in the Diocese of St. Louis, they are slowly doing some parish consolidation…and with some parishes and schools closing, they have what is called a reclamation center,” Father Sherbaugh said. “There are different things they had in a warehouse, and people can come with the bishop’s approval to take them. … I’m also looking forward to seeing if there’s something we need in our new church there as well.”
Father Sherbaugh and the parishioners of St. Thomas Aquinas are excited about what lies ahead.
“This morning, as I was thinking (at the Nov. 28 Mass) I thought of Brother Richard Sanker, of Little Rock Catholic High School, where I graduated in 2008,” Kohler said. “Brother Richard was always known for his short, witty jokes and was a wonderful mentor at Catholic High School for many years. He would always tell his students to keep your doors open. The doors at St. Thomas Aquinas may currently be closed, but Christ has opened the doors wide for ‘The Light on the Hill’ “And for the future of Catholic campus ministry at the University of Arkansas.”
“I am very excited about the direction of the ministry moving forward and the new home away from home that the new church and student center will provide for years and years to come.”
Please read the comment policy before posting.
Article comments powered by
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the departure of Bishop Taylor from the ministry of the Fayetteville-Arkansas Catholic College Diocese. As a respected leader and faithful servant of the Catholic Church, Bishop Taylor has made a profound impact on the diocese and its community. His unwavering dedication and compassionate guidance will be deeply missed, as he moves on to new endeavors. We are grateful for his years of service, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.