The Church of the Gesu will undergo restoration and renovation efforts in 2024 and 2025 as part of its “Encounter Jesus” campaign.
The upper church will be closed until late November 2025 while the first phase of this project is completed. During this period, all Masses and other services will continue as scheduled in the lower church.
Gesu Parish is home to many important Marquette events, including the Mass of the Holy Spirit, Baccalaureate Mass and the Commencement exercises of Marquette’s professional schools, in addition to regular Masses attended by members of the Marquette community.
Phase one restoration and renovation efforts include:
- New pews
- Restoring the tabernacle to its original place behind the main altar
- New flooring
- ADA compliance
- Repainting the ceiling and walls
- A new sound system with a T-coil hearing loop
- New lighting
- Fire detection and security upgrades
These updates will help the Church of the Gesu stay open throughout the day, providing an opportunity for those interested to visit in quiet moments. These upgrades will also enhance Gesu’s regularly scheduled liturgies and confessions.
The goal of the “Encounter Jesus” campaign is to support Gesu Parish as a place where all people can encounter Jesus Christ when they visit.
Gesu Parish is first and foremost a place of prayer. Visitors encounter Jesus through the beauty of the interior and the prayerful liturgies of its Sunday and weekday Masses, weddings, baptisms and other sacraments.
Gesu Parish also helps people encounter Jesus through:
- Works of mercy and direct service to the poor
- Programs that teach the faith, especially to youth and adults who wish to join the Church
- Programs that enrich the faith of people who continue to grow in their discipleship, especially through concerts, speaker series, retreats and spiritual direction
- Opportunities for Christians to live out their call to holiness and kinship with others
Phase two of the campaign, which will begin when the restoration is completed, will support parish programming, notably:
- Programs for youth
- Partnerships with Marquette’s Campus Ministry
- Neighborhood engagement through organizations like Near West Side Partners
