Lyke House 2024 Spring Newsletter
A Year of Jubilee, Evangelization, and Eucharistic Devotion

My dear Friends and Family of Lyke House,
I greet you with great joy and divine blessings in this year of Jubilee, Evangelization, and Eucharistic Devotion proclaimed by the Lyke House. 
“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy” (Ps. 126:3). 
In this Jubilee Year, we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Lyke House multi-purpose student center named in honor of Archbishop James Patterson Lyke, OFM, the fourth Archbishop of Atlanta. This great facility for student evangelization was made possible through the generosity of many great people in this archdiocese. Thanks to all who made the sacrifice and give generously of their stewardship. We are particularly grateful to my predecessor Msgr. Edward Branch who oversaw the construction of this facility. We also want to express our grateful remembrance and heartfelt thanks to Mr. Alan Pinado who was extremely instrumental in securing the land on which this student center was built.

Therefore, as we celebrate this 25th Anniversary Jubilee, I am amazed that the Christocentric understanding of a jubilee year points directly to Christ.

“A Jubilee year is above all the year of Christ, who brings life and grace to humanity.”

It is a year to give thanks to God and return God’s gift with increase by giving back and helping others. Therefore, we are inviting all Alumni to please come and join us in this great jubilee celebration. Please contact your friends and plan to attend the Gala and Dedication Mass on October 26 & 27, 2024. For those who are golfers we will be delighted if you are able to join us for our 9th Annual Lyke House Fall Golf Tournament on October 7, 2024. We want this to be a treat for you to share your stories, connect and reconnect with the younger generations and your generation.
 

It is a year of God’s favor in which we reflect on our blessings of the  past, the present, and the future destiny the Lord has for us in terms of our Mission of Evangelization at the Universitas. That is why our focus in this Jubilee Year is Evangelization and Eucharistic Devotion. Through my project in ministry with the Catholic University of America, I am hoping to provide intentional evangelization and catechetical training for our collegians to be formed as missionary disciples and peer evangelizers in a campus ministry setting. 

The goal is to train approximately 25-30 collegians to become missionary disciples and peer evangelizers on 

the four campuses served by Lyke House (Clark Atlanta, Spelman, Morehouse and Georgia State University). The expected outcome for this training is to empower collegians in campus ministry for peer evangelization and outreach to an additional 250-300 students annually. To accomplish this, we need to be “In His Presence.” Eucharistic Devotion becomes a source of divine empowerment. As a priest, it is my call to be “In His Presence” and form collegians “In His Presence.” So that young souls are anchored in the Lord’s presence as Missionary Disciples. 

 As we celebrate Black History Month, it is so appropriate to kickoff the Lyke House 25th Anniversary Jubilee Year on February 25th with our Bowman Scholar Concert at 5pm in honor of Sister Thea Bowman and Archbishop James Patterson Lyke our first Patron. We have been so blessed and grateful to have Kelly as our third Patron who generously gifted us with one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) to provide scholarship stipend for twenty five Newman and Bowman Scholars in our student ministry program at Lyke House for 2023-2024 school year. “The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.” Thank you Kelly, we appreciate you. 

This is truly a time of fulfillment and I am delighted with excitement to inform you our dear friends and family about the completion of the Lyke House Digital Library Project sponsored by PORTICUS North America. This digital library has a 3D feature that allow users to have an amazing 3D experience of the Lyke House Gallery-Museum, our Faith in Action Atrium and our Cruciform Church. The Lyke House Digital Library hopes to capture the imagination of collegians, young people, older generations and all who enter the Lyke House both in person or virtually on the digital platform. The Lyke House Digital Library hopes to create  an environment where Faith, Art, and Culture engages the intellect, the heart, and soul of all who encounter this resource center for a Catholic spiritual experience in the digital age. 
 

Special thanks to Dr. Alice Prince, Project Manager-Lyke House Digital Library

This is historic for our Archdiocese of Atlanta and  Catholic Campus Ministry in the United States. 

This digital library hopes to inspire missionary discipleship and an ordinary opportunity to encounter Christ at the heart of the Archbishop James P. Lyke Gallery-Museum in the Lyke House. With this digital library we also hope to elevate the digitization of the Archbishop Lyke Gallery-Museum of Faith, Art, and Culture at the Lyke House to tell the sacred story of Black Catholics in the United States. It will be a good tool for teaching and the transmission of the Catholic Faith and Culture, by providing a living history and educational resources to this generation and beyond. It will also provide some online text books for collegians to have free access and cut down cost on their education. We are still in the process of making this as comprehensive as possible. 

This digital library has a 3D feature that allow users to have an amazing 3D experience of the Lyke House Gallery-Museum, our Faith in Action Atrium and our Cruciform Church. “ Please click HERE to have this 3D experience. 

The Lyke House Digital Library hopes to be a resource epicenter where students from diverse background and other online guests can do research on the life and legacy of Archbishop James Lyke since it has a depository of his homilies, writings, speeches, and notes. The Lyke House Digital Library will feature liturgical musical works of Dr. Kevin Johnson in sheet music and recordings made at the Lyke House. It is my prayer that the  Lyke House Digital Library highlights the role of communication in evangelization, as we tell an aspect of the sacred story of Black Catholics in  U.S. Catholicism for the inspiration of Faith in the Universitas to the Glory of God.
May God bring to fulfillment the great work He has began in our humble ministry.

Fr. Urey Patrick Mark-Chaplain & Director

By Lady Peggy Ballou, Representative of Knights of Peter Claver

Lyke House Celebrates the inauguration of the first Collegiate Unit of the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary welcome “Archbishop James P. Lyke Collegiate Council #413” with its newly elected Grand Knight Leighton Batiste and “Sister Thea Bowman Collegiate Court #413” with its newly elected Grand Lady Margaret Quartey at the Lyke House Catholic Newman Center at the Atlanta University Center. Established October 21, 2023 in Atlanta Georgia.

This establishment has been a long time coming, making this Collegiate Unit a part of the Knights of Peter Claver family. Initial conversations began when Monsignor Edward Branch was the Director  and Chaplain at the Lyke House and continued during Fr. Urey Patrick Mark’s leadership.  History has been made in this establishment of the first Knights of Peter Claver Collegiate Unit #413 in the state of Georgia. There is currently one other Knights of Peter Claver established Collegiate Unit at Xavier University in New Orleans, LA.  Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA is in the works, and The Knights of Peter Claver is continuing efforts to bring awareness to other universities.

Leighton A. Batiste- First Grand Knight of Lyke House Collegiate Unit- 
"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to help charter the Knights of Peter Claver collegiate unit at the Lyke House Catholic Center. Since joining the Lyke House my sophomore year while attending Morehouse College, it had always been a point of discussion to bring KPC to the Lyke House. We have a very strong group of collegians that attend the Lyke House who care about our Catholic faith and want to find unique ways to recruit more Catholic students to join us in worship. Establishing KPC is also a great sign that the Lyke House is in great health and moving in the right direction. I believe it is important for there to be a healthy Catholic center to foster community for students in the Atlanta University Center and Georgia State University.

Our goal is to position KPC to be a platform for Catholic students to partake in service to the church and our surrounding community. We want to become the gateway for young Catholics to improve or even reconnect with their faith and to the church. Hopefully this also includes us building stronger relationships with other collegiate units in our region as well as churches and schools within the Archdiocese of Atlanta."

Emerging Leaders at Lyke House by Margaret Siatta Quarter- First Grand Lady Lyke House Collegiate Unit
Leadership experience in ministry and worship at Lyke House has anchored me in my faith and empowered me as an emerging leader amongst my peers and in the Church.

In my roles as the President of the Bowman Scholar Music Program at the Lyke House and the First Grand Lady of the Knights of St. Peter Claver Collegiate Unit court 413, I am privileged to hold leadership positions that enable me to serve my community, showcase my musical talent, and deepen my faith as a Catholic. 
 

As the president of the Bowman Scholar Music program, I oversee the musical development of the scholars, organize performances, and promote the program within the community, offering an opportunity to inspire and educate others while honing my leadership and organizational skills. Simultaneously, as the First Grand Lady of the Knights of St. Peter Claver Collegiate Unit, I represent the organization and support its mission to promote Catholic values and service within the community. These positions not only foster my spiritual growth through Sunday fellowship meals after Mass and music-related trips but also provide a platform to connect with both Catholic and non-Catholic students.

A highlight was our trip to the Black Catholic Men’s Conference in Louisville Kentucky, where I formed strong bonds with friends, elevated my musical abilities, and met inspirational people. Looking ahead, I am excited about celebrating Black History Month in Washington DC with The Catholic University of America and the Sister Thea Bowman committee.

Overall, these leadership roles at the Lyke House have significantly strengthened and accompanied me throughout my college experience, allowing me to contribute to the community, express my musical talents, and deepen my faith.

Lyke House - A home away from home by 
Jessica Macha, Actuarial Science
Georgia State University, May 2024

The Lyke House has truly been my home away from home. My name is Jessica Macha and I am a senior Actuarial Science student at Georgia State University. I intentionally made the move from the suburbs of Minnesota to downtown Atlanta to have a breadth of opportunity within my academics and career. College life, as we all know, is not an easy journey, but with God, all things are possible! I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of the Lyke House community, where I've had nothing short of amazing faith experiences and opportunities to build lasting connections from my freshman year to this past fall semester of my senior year.

One of the highlights of the Fall semester of 2023 was the establishment of the Knights of Peter Claver (KPC) Lyke House Collegiate Unit. I had the honor of being initiated into the KPC Sister Thea Bowman Court 413. We indeed are all brothers and sisters in Christ and I have personally felt that even more so during my college experience while attending the Lyke House every week. The sense of community and family I experienced during our induction was truly heartwarming. he Knights and Ladies Auxiliary of KPC welcomed us with open arms, excited for our growth in the organization. Lyke House has blessed me with the ability to join an organization that extends beyond my college years, transcending geographical boundaries. The growth in my faith and the strong bonds I've built with others are aspects of my journey that I am genuinely thankful for.As I approach the end of my college chapter, I look forward to what the future holds for the Lyke House, with having such impact on the lives of young people for the part 25 years. I am excited about how I can use the gifts from the Holy Spirit to contribute to the mission of Lyke House and continue fostering a sense of community and faith wherever life takes me. May God continue to shine His favor on the Lyke House this spring 2024 semester, and every semester to follow.

International Students from Africa experience at Lyke House 
by Alapa Odugbo

The Lyke House Catholic Center continues to be an important aspect of our graduate school life, providing a nurturing environment for spiritual growth and fostering lifelong friendships. Its diverse community, liturgical music and sermons/homily at the Masses, have been impactful in shaping our values and contributing significantly to our personal and academic journey. 

It’s a home for us and we are glad for every bit of our experience there.

Lyke House Appreciation Dinner by
Patricia (Pat) Matthews-Lyke House Advisory Council Co-chair

The Lyke House Advisory Council hosted a wonderful Appreciation Dinner for the former Lyke House Advisory Council on Saturday, October 7, 2023. The former Council laid the   framework and volunteered countless hours to assist in the functioning of the Lyke House and establishing the annual Lyke House Golf Tournament.  The former Lyke House Advisory Council members honored were Msgr. Edward Branch (Former Lyke House Director and Chaplain), Juan and Jean Johnson, Sylvia Battle, Paulette and Marion Lewis, John Beal, Jude Micah, Karen Burke, and DeAnna Lewis.


The Appreciation Dinner was held at the Lyke House Catholic Newman Center at Atlanta University Center and was catered by Lucy’s Touch of Class Catering. The torch was passed on to the current Lyke House Advisory Council, which consists of the following members: Father Urey Mark (Lyke House Director and Chaplain), Patricia Matthews, Myles Logan, Peggy Ballou, Leighton Batiste, David Coleman, Jessica Macha, Pamela Simmons, Nikki Williams, Viju Sebastian, Kevin Johnson, and Rudy Schlosser.  



Thank You Again to the former
Lyke House Advisory Council!!!  
We appreciate your commitment,
time, and talent to the Lyke House
over the years.

Lyke House 8th Annual Golf Tournament-A Huge Success 

By Rudy Schlosser

The Lyke House 8th Annual Golf Tournament on October 11, 2023 was a huge success- financially, athletically, and entertainment wise. We raised over thirty thousand dollars with a net profit over twenty-three thousand dollars. Our detail report will be in our golf brochure May edition. Many thanks to our chairpersons Dr. Eugene Dryer and Dr. Abraham Morrall. Special thanks to the Flat Creek Country Club for hosting our tournament. The golfers really enjoy this club and the club benefits from our participation. It does a great job hosting us. We were blessed by very nice Fall weather as well. A huge shout out goes to our incredible donors especially Eric and Linda Anderson, Monsignor Francis McNamee, Deacon Fred & Oliva Toca, Christopher & Candis Hunter, Anne Clarke, Scott & Diane Southard, and many others.
We look forward to our 9th Annual Golf Tournament on October 7, 2024 at 8am. 
Flat Creek Country Club 
100 Flat Creek Road
Peachtree City, GA 30269

Serving Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College & Georgia State University

Lyke House Catholic Center at the AUC

809 Beckwith Street SW

Atlanta, GA 30314

https://lykehouse.org

lykehouse809@gmail.com

404-755-2646