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From crumbling convent to Catholic art studio: A new light in Atlantic City, New Jersey

July 25, 2026 · 1 min read

A Catholic art studio is beginning to blossom in an unexpected place. Cappella Studio in Atlantic City, New Jersey, aspires to be a light in the darkness of the city, reaching out to those on the periphery and centering the art on the good, true, and beautiful.

“Atlantic City exists at the edge of the world. In many ways it is a forgotten- about place on the periphery,” Jim Dessicino, who founded Cappella Studio, told EWTN News. “People go there to gamble away their fortunes or to disappear into vice, and with that comes desperation, homelessness, and poverty.”

“It is in places such as this that Christ is most needed,” he continued.

The abandoned convent there was going to be sold — and likely razed to the ground. But Dessicino saw that it could be something more.

“When I entered that chapel for the first time, I knew I had the opportunity to emulate St. Francis during his special jubilee year called by Pope Leo XIV,” Dessicino said.

“In 1205, kneeling in prayer and searching for his purpose in the crumbling Church of San Damiano, St. Francis heard the voice of God say: ‘Francis, go rebuild my church, which you see has fallen into ruin!’” he recounted.

“The chapel in…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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Иван Виноградов

Interesting story. It would be a shame if the old convent and chapel were demolished. It’s good that Dessicino remembered St. Francis and decided to make an art studio instead of demolishing it. In Minsk, we also saved a couple of abandoned buildings near churches; it’s always nice when something like this comes to life.

Мариана Тодорова

Yes, it's good that Dessicino didn't let the convent bring him down. Reading about this old chapel and how he turned it into a studio for Catholic art, I think of our abandoned monasteries around Veliko Tarnovo - they were also on the brink. I wonder how exactly the story of St. Francis and San Damiano prompted him, that's the best part.

Petro Nako

I read it carefully. It's good that Dessicino didn't let that old chapel in the abandoned convent be torn down, but turned it into a Catholic art studio. It reminded me of how we were in Korça, when they renovated an old space near our church to make a workshop for icons – some simple wood and paint, but now it serves many people. I wonder if they will have courses for kids there too.

Ruth Wilson

That's a neat story about the old convent chapel. I like how Dessicino took the St. Francis line about rebuilding the ruined church and actually did it with paintbrushes instead of just prayers. We have a couple of empty church buildings here in Portland that could use the same treatment instead of sitting boarded up.