new Catholic Newman chapel design for a secular university
  • Raulus Magnus
    Posts: 17
    Friends,

    I know that this is a discussion about Sacred Music, but I wanted to run something by everyone to see what your thoughts are on the subject....especially since it relates to choral/organ music.

    I am am the director of a Catholic student center at a secular (state) university in Oklahoma. We are hoping to embark on a capital campaign to raise money to build a new complex...most importantly...to build a proper chapel.

    My question to you all is this. Would it be appropriate to build a chapel in the style of a "monastic chapel" with choir stalls running the length of the nave? (think Dominican House of Studies in DC or King's College in Cambridge). My idea is this...since we are going to build a rather small chapel...I'd like to build a chapel with a monastic choir arrangement so that we can celebrate the various liturgies of the Church...not just Mass. The antiphonal seating would be great for praying/singing the Divine Office. I am not sure where the organ would go...perhaps in the same placement as the organ at the Dominican House of Studies in DC (in the middle of the nave along the wall) since there will not be a choir loft due to city height ordinances in a residential neighborhood.

    My hopes are to have a beautiful chapel where it will truly be a beacon of hope to university students and a true place of worship of Almighty God...complete with the music, acoustics and architecture to inspire those that walk in.

    If anyone can give me ideas, opinions, suggestions...I would greatly appreciate it. I am hoping that we can get the renowned classicist architect, Ethan Anthony (the designer of Syon Abbey in VA), to come up with the plans for our new Catholic student center and chapel.

    Please give some input! Thank you!
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,424
    I think seating in the monastic manner is a wonderful idea. It should be used more - even in some parish churches. You don't mention the size of organ (or the chapel) that you envision. If it is a fine free-standing instrument it could sit in the centre of the pavement at the (liturgical) west end of the nave, or, as you suggest, somewhere midway on the north or south wall. I hope you will keep us up to date on developments there. Have you been to St Meinrad's Archabbey? The placement of the (large) organ there on the pavement is quite effective. Do you have an organbuilder in mind?
  • Raulus Magnus
    Posts: 17
    Thank you for your message, Mr. Osborn.

    The chapel will be small (seating about 75 people)....so an organ of no more than 25 ranks should be fine.

    Yes, I have been to St. Meinrad's...nice organ. I am actually thinking about contacting various dioceses (Cleveland, Buffalo, etc) that have closed parishes...in hopes that I can "rescue" a beautiful pipe organ from a closed parish. I know that there are many Casavants in those areas (ca. 1950-1960) and think I can get a good deal on one. My former parish in San Antonio, Our Lady of the Atonement, acquired a Casavant organ from a closed church in Boston for under $10k!!! After the organ was acquired, the organ was restored and updated with a new console and other things. You can actually hear it play on YouTube if you just type "Anglican Use" in the YouTube search...it sounds GREAT!
    If you heard it...you would not think that the organ was over 60 years old!

    Thank you for your encouragement. I will keep folks on here updated as to our progress. It's exciting that so many of my university students WANT a traditional chapel for the new Catholic student center!
  • Pes
    Posts: 623
    Choir seating is a wonderful idea for many reasons, not least of which is that it gives you the angle that the chapel could be used for a variety of lirtugies and thus support an academic mission, which is appropriate for a chapel at a university. Having a high altar could be argued on similar grounds. Get it done, and the future will be brighter!
  • Raulus Magnus
    Posts: 17
    Just found this link through the Eastern Dominican website of the friar's chapel at the Dominican House of Studies in DC: http://www.op-stjoseph.org/Students/tour/chapel.html

    The chapel that I envision will be a bit smaller in scale than this because of city zoning ordinances, but it gives you and idea of what I am thinking about in regards to a new Catholic Newman chapel.

    By the way, if anyone is going to the Sacred Music Colloquium in Chicago...you should check out (if you have the time) the old Dominican priory chapel that is at Fenwick High School in Oak Park (a Chicago suburb). That is EXACTLY the same size and style (neo-Gothic) that I am thinking about in regards to our new chapel. The old priory chapel at Fenwick (which sadly is not used except for an occasional prayer service) is very beautiful and inspiring. It's worth the trip if you have a chance to get there. It's right near the train lines so that should help.

    Please say some prayers that we may get the support needed to build our beautiful new chapel!
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,424
    So, you were at Our Lady of the Atonement.
    Are you, then, Anglican Use?
    Will you be at the AU Conference at Walsingham?
  • Raulus Magnus
    Posts: 17
    Yes...I was a member of Atonement. I actually sang in the choir there.

    Unfortunately, the Anglican Use can not be found anywhere here in Oklahoma...though I hope things will change in the future to where it will be available in the future here in Oklahoma...and through out the country.

    Not sure if I will be able to make it to the conference in Houston....we shall see.
  • Raulus Magnus
    Posts: 17
    For those involved with parishes that are thinking about building a new church...or rebuilding or renovating an existing one...please check out this article:

    www.hdb.com/articles/traditional_bldg_dec_2007.pdf

    Thank goodness that architects like Ethan Anthony are doing their part in reclaiming beauty in church architecture.
  • Jenny Donelson
    Posts: 259
    Raulus,

    I have some resources that could be of use to you. Please e-mail me at stmichaelchoir (at) gmail (dot) com.
  • Raulus Magnus
    Posts: 17
    Does anyone know of any Catholic chapels that are at any college campuses (or Newman centers) that are arranged/designed in a traditional monastic choir layout?
  • Donna Robillard
    Posts: 33
    Raulus,
    I live in Oklahoma. Where are you located? Please email me at ddrobillard@msn.com
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