Our Chapels

Architecture

Mary of the Angels Chapel and the Perpetual Adoration Chapel together comprise 6,000 square feet of St. Rose Convent. Their Romanesque architecture was developed by architect Eugene R. Libert. Adolph Liebig decorated, Bernhardt Hillig, Sr., painted and Egid Hackner designed statues, built alters and carved wood.

Design

The chapel is cruciform in design with nave, apse (part of which is separated from the sanctuary to constitute the Perpetual Adoration Chapel), and transepts. This architectural drawing of the chapel was found in 2005 and presented to FSPA as a gift celebrating the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the chapel.

Statue of St. Michael the Archangel

A statue of St. Michael the Archangel was placed in the vestibule just outside the main doors of Mary of the Angels Chapel with instructions from an early leader, Mother Antonia Herb, to guard and protect the sacred spaces. In 1923, a fire threatened to destroy St. Rose Convent. Though the fire destroyed the west wing of the building, it stopped just short of the vestibule where St. Michael stood guard. That corridor and the chapels beyond were untouched by the fire.

Entrance

As one enters the chapel and turns to view the area just above the entrance door, a relief of Moses before the burning bush reminds the worshiper that this is a space in which God wishes to commune with his creatures and family. The entrance is also flanked on each side by two of the 163 angels found in Mary of the Angels Chapel.

Pillars and Columns

The chapel pillars are Corinthian in style, distinguished by rich capitals and formed by Acanthus leaves. Wreathed within the leaves are figures of praying angels. The concrete columns resemble Norwegian marble. Nineteen different processes were employed to produce this beautiful marble effect.

Baptismal Font

In recent years, the baptismal font, designed in the early 1990s, has been placed in the entryway, as it is here, to remind those entering that they are called to a life of holiness by virtue of their baptism. It is not only vowed religious persons who are called, but all Christians through their baptism.

Pews

The woodwork found in Mary of the Angels Chapel is the result of the craftsmanship of the workers employed by the Hackner Alter Company. A Greek cross and a sculpted rose, a symbol of Mary, adorn each hand-carved, red oak pew. The egg and dart decorative design, seen on the pew arms, represents life and suffering. Power tools were not introduced in the Hackner Factory until 1910, so all of the woodwork found in the chapel was created entirely by hand.

Side Altars

The Sacred Heart Altar, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Blessed Mother Altar, dedicated to the Immaculate Mother of God, harmonize well with the main altar in ornamentation, architectural design and beauty of construction. The statues of the altars are of Carrara marble, imported from Italy and executed from models furnished by the Hackner Altar Company.

Altar of Sacrifice

After the liturgical renewal of the 1960s, the altar of sacrifice was placed under the central dome. Simple in design, it stands as a strong and dignified piece. It is on this altar that the mystery of Christ is celebrated in every Mass.

Mosaics

Composed of green and gold Venetian glass and mother of pearl, the central medallion located on the front of the main altar represents the story of the high priest Melchizedek offering bread and wine, as recorded in the Hebrew scriptures. The medallion on the left symbolizes the loaves and fishes, and the one on the right, the wheat and grapes.

Statue of St. Joseph

The statue of St. Joseph holds a place of honor at the left side of the main altar. St. Joseph is honored as a protector of the Holy Family and as a guide and protector for congregations of women religious. Evidence of his aid in FSPA history demonstrates his fatherly interest in the well-being of the congregation.

Statue of St. Mary Magdalene

The statue of St. Mary Magdalene is located on the right side of the main altar. The statue was selected by Mother Ludovica as a response to the critics of the time who said the sisters were spending too much on a building. St. Francis of Assisi had a special devotion to St. Mary Magdalene and named some of his chapels in her honor.

St. Francis of Assisi (Portiuncula) Painting

The large painting on the far wall above the main altar depicts St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan Order, at prayer in the little Chapel of Portiuncula as he is favored with a vision of Jesus and Mary surrounded by angelic hosts. This special grace came to be known as the Portiuncula Indulgence.

St. Clare and Second Order Franciscans Painting

The work on the north wall of the sanctuary represents the event that marks the beginning of the Second Order of St. Francis, popularly known as the Poor Clares. On Palm Sunday, 1212, Clare presented herself to Francis and his followers in Assisi and received the coarse habit and knotted cord signifying her commitment to a life of poverty and simplicity.

Third Order Franciscans Painting

This painting, displayed on the south wall, depicts St. Louis of France (1215-1270) and St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231), 12th century tertiaries, meeting with St. Francis of Assisi. St. Elizabeth is shown receiving the Franciscan cord, which symbolizes her following of Francis in devotion to Jesus and charity to the poor.

Apparition of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Painting

Located just above the Sacred Heart Altar, is a representation of Jesus appearing to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) in which He asks the faithful to honor Him. The soldier's lance shown piercing the heart of Jesus is a symbol of God's great love and mercy for all women and men.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Painting

Just above the Blessed Mary Altar appears a companion piece to the Apparition of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary. This painting illustrates the Gospel story of the angel Gabriel's message to Mary that she is to be the mother of the Son of God. Her response of yes set the whole world on a new course of redeeming love in human form.

Stained Glass Dome

This stained-glass window portrays the Holy Spirit of God descending in a stream of light surrounded by heads of winged cherubs. Six sides of the dome represent the six days of creation, the seventh side represents God's resting and the eighth side represents the resurrection of the faithful assured by their baptism.

Sanctuary Skylight

The vaulted skylight is surrounded by four ornamental medallions: the liturgical symbols of the Bible, the Keys of God's Kingdom; the Cross of Christ; the Crown of Glory; and the fleur-de-lis, a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The sanctuary ceiling is finished in gold filigree on a background of blue.

Stations of the Cross

Each of the fourteen Stations of the Cross located under the organ loft and above the double windows of the nave in Mary of the Angels Chapel were hand carved from bronzed beech wood by the Hackner Altar Company. Designed specifically for our chapel, each group of statuary is supported by a decorative bracket in stucco and portrays the passion, death and burial of Jesus Christ.

Organ

A Casavant Freres, mechanical (tracker) action, pipe organ was installed in Mary of the Angels chapel in 1983. When the original organ had to be replaced, it was deemed desirable that the new organ would be commensurate with the style and architecture of the chapel. The current organ, made mainly of wood, has 1,422 pipes, 20 stops and 30 ranks played using two keyboards and various pedals.

Main Altar

This Romanesque architecture designed altar is unique in form and ornamentation and complements the altar in the Mary of the Angels Chapel. However, the gold bronzes are lighter and richer, the mosaic more exquisite and the symbols fewer and simpler than those in the larger chapel.

Monstrance

Harmonizing with the architectural scheme of the chapel, the monstrance of exposition is of artistic workmanship. It is Romanesque in style; gold plated over a silver base and thirty inches high. The focus of the Adoration Chapel is the revolving tabernacle supporting the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament exposed. The platform holds the monstrance on the Adoration Chapel side and the crucifix on the Mary of the Angels Chapel side.

Relief Sculptures

The three beautifully carved panels designed and executed by the celebrated altar builder E. Hackner, are strictly liturgical in design and symbolic of the mysteries of Faith. These three panels appear on the frontals below the mensa of the altar, and represent the font of the living water, ark of the covenant, and deer drinking of living water.