New church designs unveiled for Saint Clare of Assisi

At a celebration that started with singing and prayer on Sunday, Dec. 10, Saint Clare of Assisi Catholic Church on Daniel Island unveiled the exterior design of their future sanctuary to an auditorium filled with applauding and cheering parishioners and friends.

The 850-seat church is fashioned in a Gothic Renewal design, much like many of the monumental and historic churches in downtown Charleston. The traditional layout features a long nave leading to the sanctuary where the altar and ambo (pulpit) will be located.

Future phases include a tower and spire atop the church, a columbarium for the interment of cremated remains, an education and administrative building, and a large social hall with kitchen. The building site is located at the corner of Seven Farms Drive and Etiwan Park Street, across from Bishop England High School.

All buildings will be connected by a covered loggia, which surrounds a central cloistered garden. These features highlight the life of Saint Clare, a cloistered nun and the first woman to follow in the footsteps of the more famous Saint Francis of Assisi back in 13th century Italy.

The first phase, the church, is expected to cost $15.5 million. So far, in their Blessed to Build capital campaign, the parish has raised $10 million in cash and pledges. If all goes according to plan, permitting will begin in 2018 with groundbreaking occurring in the summer of 2019. Construction is expected to take two years.

“This is an extraordinary feat in the life of our young parish,” stated Father Gregory West, the pastor. “Our parish is not yet four years old and we are already well into the design phase of our future sanctuary and fundraising. We realize how blessed we are to have come so far so quickly.”

Saint Clare of Assisi was established in April of 2014 and presently has 2,200 members. For more information, visit clare.church.