“It was a historic night!” said Fr. Jim Sullivan, administrator of the Church of the Assumption.
On the evening of December 1, the Assumption School boys’ basketball team hosted its very first game ever in the recently opened Bob ’47 and Maureen O’Keefe Arts and Athletic Center, at the school’s third floor.
The school was built in 1910, but it never had its own gymnasium. There was an auditorium on the third floor that was closed in 1968, since it was in need of significant repair.
Fr. Jim Sullivan began his assignment in the fall of 2015. Before being ordained a priest in 2014, Fr. Sullivan was a partner of Sullivan Brothers, LLC, which had been building contractors in the Waterbury area for over 25 years. While touring the school grounds during his first week, he was taken to the third floor, and he immediately saw its potential as a new arts and athletic center.
Thanks to a major gift from 1947 alumnus Bob O’Keefe and his wife, Maureen, along with many other donors, the new arts and athletic center became a reality. It was dedicated by the Archbishop Leonard P. Blair last October 23, 2016, as part of the Church of the Assumption’s 125th Anniversary Celebration.
Fr. Sullivan remarked after the game, “I believe opening the doors of this beautiful turn-of-the-century architectural gem will also, in an even greater way, open wide for our youth and young adults the doors to our church.”
Click here for more pictures from the game.
