Change of heart

Archdiocese gets to work as modern Braintree hub nears finish

The Archdiocese of Boston has thrown open the doors of its new facility in Braintree, completing a historic shift from the Brighton headquarters of the past 80 years.

While construction continues, most notably in the chapel, the administrative heart of the church is up and running in a modern office building on Brooks Drive, near South Shore Plaza and overlooking Interstate 93. A series of inaugural events to introduce the building to parishes and priests will be held in the fall.

The gleaming new "Pastoral Center" is a far cry from the dowdy "Little Vatican" chancery in Brighton. Not only is it technologically advanced, it is designed to draw in the faithful - as its new name suggests - rather than function just as an administrative center.

"We're in service to the parishes," said spokesman Terrence Donilon. "We want this to be a welcoming place."

From the outside, there are few signs that the region's largest religious organization is housed in what looks like a run-of-the-mill suburban office building. The only clues are a 10-foot cross above the entrance - also visible to drivers on I-93 - and flags for the Vatican and the archdiocesan bicentennial which flank an American flag. Some statuary from Brighton will be erected over the next six months, said officials.

The new facility has Internet kiosks and flat-screen TVs scattered around. Pictures of parishes decorate the walls.

"There is a real contrast," said Jim McDonough, the chancellor, who helped oversee the construction and move.

The new center, where 225 people work, is in a rounded four-story, brick and glass building that is completely modern. The building has enhanced technology, such as wireless, and almost everyone has a view of the outdoors.

Perhaps more importantly, people from six church locations are now in one spot, making it far easier for them to get work done. As one employee put it, he can just walk around and talk with people, rather than make strings of phone calls back and forth.

The location also makes it easier for priests and parishioners to visit the center, and for those who work there to drive to parishes. Unlike Brighton, the new center has easy highway access.

The site, however, feels like an office park. That's a change from the chancery, which was surrounded by 65 acres near Boston College.

Brighton was "important historically in the life of the archdiocese," said McDonough, who worked there for two years. "It's a very tranquil and scenic area in the midst of the city. . . . It's the place where most of the priests of the parish were educated and will continue to be educated," as St. John's Seminary will keep its location in Brighton.

But Braintree has a much better work environment, said McDonough.

The Brighton office environment was dated, "a 1970s genre, with no open spaces, and little opportunity for collaboration."

Monsignor Gordon M. McRae, the pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Norwood and who for 17 years taught at St. John's Seminary, said he won't miss the Brighton location. Braintree is a lot easier to get to.

The building is somewhat isolated, sitting between a band of trees and the highway on one side and a cemetery on the other. South Shore Plaza is five minutes away by car, prompting one employee to quip that he hoped to get frequent flier miles for the Cheesecake Factory.

The interior of the 10-year-old building was totally redone by the church. The 150,000-square-foot building had been set up with cubicles, while the new setup features more offices and meeting rooms.

Intentionally, very little was taken from the old buildings, whether furniture or equipment. The idea was to build for two or three decades ahead. The chairs and desks are new and modern.

A large room called the "auditorium" holds about 200 people and will be used for large groups, such as staff meetings or groups of pastors. Two large flat-screen TVs hang from the walls and can show the speaker.

That relieves, for instance, parishes from hosting large meetings, which could be an inconvenience, said McDonough.

Officials are especially proud of the chapel, which is still under construction.

The chapel, which features a curving design, is expected to be the jewel of the building, one employee said, when it is finished around Labor Day. Stained-glass windows came from shuttered churches.

Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley has offices in Braintree and at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. The church obtained the $14 million building for a token amount from developer Thomas Flatley, a longtime Catholic church benefactor.

The archdiocese sold its Brighton property to Boston College for $172 million. The sale was largely the result of the sexual abuse crisis, which caused financial turmoil for the church.

The archdiocese has had several adminstrative centers during its 200-year history. The first chancery in Brighton was built in 1929.

Matt Carroll can be reached at mcarroll@globe.com.