80th Anniversary of the Dedication of our Adoration Chapel
On September 15, 1939, feast of our Lady of Sorrows, our adoration chapel was solemnly dedicated by Most Rev. Thomas J. Walsh, Archbishop of Newark. The nuns had moved into the new monastery building after it was privately blessed on Trinity Sunday, June 4, 1939. For some reason. Archbishop Walsh did not want to consecrate the chapel and it took some persuading on the part of Mother Mary of Jesus Crucified to get him to come and solemnly dedicate the chapel. The high altar would be consecrated 5 years later as a jubilee gift in honor of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the monastery.
The adoration chapel is unusually large for a monastery chapel. It is about the size of our parish church here in Summit, literally a stone’s throw away. The chapel seats about 350 people and the nuns’ choir seats 52 nuns although we have no idea where they would sleep at night! As we say, one of the mysteries of Rosary Shrine.
From the time of the laying of the cornerstone in 1926 until its completion, the nuns probably thought that they would be left with a crypt chapel for ever. However, through the sacrifices of many, many people the chapel and monastery were finally completed although on a much smaller scale than first envisioned when the crypt of the chapel was built.
Although simple, the neo-Gothic chapel is quite beautiful. Light comes in from 15 stained glass windows, each dedicated to a mystery of the rosary. On the side which the nuns’ monastery is built, the lower windows are usually dark except for in the morning when lights are turned on behind the windows. These windows are dedicated to various saints that have particular importance to the nuns. The last window is dedicated to our Lady of the Rosary. Bl. Imelda is there because she was the patroness of our foundress, Mother Mary Imelda, OP. St. Ann is also there because it was on her feast day in 1938 that the community received the green light to resume building the monastery. The mystical marriage of St. Catherine and St. Dominic are the remaining 2 windows.
The cocktail lounge of the original Waldorf Astoria
The original baldacchino was made of oak and was carved with adoring angels with 4 angels facing the 4 corners of the earth. It was seated on 4 marble columns which came from the cocktail lounge of the original Waldorf Astoria! The swinging doors in the back of the chapel were also from the Waldorf Astoria.
Sadly, this beautiful baldacchino was replaced in the late 1950’s with the one currently over the main altar. The grilles to the left and right of the main altar were also closed up at that time, resulting in a more beautiful nuns’ choir but affected the acoustics in the main chapel. As a whole the chapel has remained pretty much as it was when it was built in 1939. Just recently, we were offered a generous gift of a new rug for the sanctuary. We were told that the one we have goes back to the 1930’s.
The December, 1939 issue of the Rosary Pilgrim told readers (and we are most grateful that it did) that the 8 Gothic chandlers are made of alabaster glass from Turkey.
At the back of the chapel is a triptych of our Lady with the Child Jesus that is greatly loved by the people who come to our chapel. It was designed by Renwick, the architect of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York and executed by Emilio Angela.
The nuns’ choir stalls are beautifully carved. The artist who carved them thought that they would be seen by the people who come to the chapel. Instead, they remain a hidden offering to God. They certainly weren’t made for comfort! Just recently, one of the nuns noticed the carving on the wall of each side of the doors going into our choir, something most nuns had never noticed before. But more on that later!
The nuns’ choir shortly after they moved into the new monastery. Notice the 2 postulants at the novitiate window. Now, there are organ pipes on that back wall. Some of the woodwork was removed but the angels still hover over us as we chant the Divine Office. The lights, which gave little light, were removed in the 90’s and replaced with recessed ceiling lights and lights above the choir stalls. The choir stalls were made for tiny French Canadian nuns!
At the center of our chapel is the Blessed Sacrament solemnly enthroned so that both the Nuns in the cloister and the people in the chapel can adore Jesus. Jesus is literally the center of the monastery and of course, the center and reason for our life here at the monastery. We give thanks and praise for the privilege of joining with the angels who fill our chapel in praising God. We thank Him for the gift to be able to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to receive Him each day in Holy Communion. We are honored to be Mary’s Guard of Honor, contemplating Jesus through the eyes of Mary in the prayer of the Rosary. We are truly humbled to be blessed with such a beautiful chapel where anyone can come and be with the Lord in silence and prayer. The gift of our chapel is our great gift in return to all who come here.
