St. Norbert College Portico gift honors Rita Nelson
St. Norbert College Parish in Green Bay: A beautiful 16-foot tall portico designed by Morning Glory Glass Studio of Lodi, Wis., was commissioned to honor the late Rita E. Nelson, thanks to a grant from the David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund within the Community Foundation.
By Kerry Gross, Portico project coordinator
The Portico at Old St. Joseph Church was blessed on October 24, 2021, during the year of the 900th celebration of the founding of the Norbertine Order, and serves as a sacred reminder that Old St. Joseph Church truly is the heart of St. Norbert College.
Enter through the St. Joseph Portico on the campus of St. Norbert College into sacred space to “Go” and find that which you are seeking at this time and in this place. The usage of the word “Portico” encompasses the entrance into this holy space as being covered by the “Heart of Jesus.”
Photo courtesy Catholic Diocese, Green Bay
To know where you are going you must know from where you came; hence, the usage in the verbiage translated from Latin (the language at the inception of this church), inviting all to “Ite ad Ioseph” (Go to Joseph”).
This Portico was designed to compliment the existing arches found in various locations on the campus of St. Norbert College, but was to be set apart as seen in the use of liturgical elements.
We are so blessed by this gift to the parish, made possible by the David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund within the Community Foundation, which honors Rita’s memory as a long-time parishioner.
Who were the Nelsons? Learn more about the David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund and find out more about this couple here.
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