LAWRENCE -- Everyone tells Father Paul O'Brien that it's a miracle.

Father O'Brien, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Lawrence and a board member of the nearby Lawrence Catholic Academy, has spent almost a decade raising funds to replace the school's deteriorating century-old campus with a new building. Two-hundred donors raised a combined $30 million to fund the first new urban Catholic school building in the Archdiocese of Boston in over 50 years. Ground broke in March 2024. In the heart of one of the youngest, fastest-growing, and lowest-income communities in Massachusetts, a modern, state-of-the-art school now stands proudly.

The three-story Corey C. Griffin Hall, named in honor of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation that gave generously to its construction, has 25 classrooms, six labs, a STEM makerspace, a music room, an art studio, and a café which provides free breakfast and lunch to LCA's 500 pre-K to eighth grade students. The spotless hallways are lined with gleaming red lockers. The cream-colored walls are pristine. The sunlight-filled classrooms were packed with new books, supplies, and electronic smartboards.

A lot of people have said the new school is a miracle, but Father O'Brien disagrees. A miracle, he said at Corey C. Griffin Hall's dedication on Sept. 15, would be if a new school materialized out of thin air, or if $30 million suddenly appeared on his doorstep. He said a more fitting term for what happened at LCA would be divine providence.

"God wants a new school for children who deserve a new school," he said, surrounded by LCA students, staff, city officials, and supporters of the project. "So divine providence is the wonder of how God gets you from here to there."

He said that those who donated to the school, and the local government and archdiocesan officials who supported its construction, were doing God's work. Eighteen of the 200 donors gave $1 million or more. Donors based in California, Texas, Ohio, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Florida, France, and Hong Kong reached out to support the school.

"This little street corner, there are people on three continents who stepped up to be the instruments of divine providence," Father O'Brien said. "That's how good people are and how godly people are in 2025 in this really crazy world."

Archbishop Richard G. Henning blessed the school and led the assembly in prayer before cutting the ceremonial ribbon out front.

"I'm so grateful to all of you and to those who have built this building and also built up this school," he said. "But I suspect we also feel a debt of gratitude to God for the gift of the young people who study here and will study here. Not the bricks, but the living stones formed in that image and likeness of Christ, for our efforts, our wishes, our desire, is to serve the Lord by serving these young people."

New England Patriots legend Matthew Slater, a board member of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation and product of 12 years of Catholic school, delivered the opening prayer.

"He has become part of this school in the last year," Father O'Brien said, adding that Slater has visited every classroom, spoken to the older grades, and provided counseling for students.

"You are exactly the kind of man, spouse, father, evangelist, and citizen and professional that we hope our children might become," Father O'Brien said.

Slater prayed for the school's students and faculty.

"When people think that we have a God that doesn't care about our struggle, that doesn't care about kids in communities like this, we can say that's not true because of what you've done here, Lord," he prayed.

Father O'Brien awarded Divine Providence medals to six of LCA's most influential supporters: Bill Perocchi, Lawrence native and former CEO of Pebble Beach Resorts, and his wife Nancy; John Driscoll, real estate developer and longtime supporter of LCA; Rob Griffin of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation; legendary Boston philanthropist Peter Lynch; and John Cullinane, trustee and co-chair of the LCA capital campaign.

The archbishop said that one more person should get a medal -- Father O'Brien himself.

"I'm not sure whether you are a gift of Divine Providence or a miracle or both. But we are all here, and we are all inspired by you and drawn by you into this beautiful project. I think you ought to be getting a medal, too, but maybe that's your medal," he said, gesturing to the school building.