Emily Siegel '14
Since the start of Rosemont College, there has been an
obvious need for a campus chapel. Initially a makeshift chapel was set up in a
room of Main Building. Then, in 1926, the chapel was moved to the basement of
the recently completed Gertrude Kistler Memorial Library. Mother Mary Ignatius
Carroll, SHCJ, second college president, was nicknamed “Ignatius the Builder”
for her devotion to grow Rosemont’s campus saw it her duty to build a chapel.
After struggling through the Great Depression, everyone on campus strove to see
M.M. Ignatius’ dream actualized.
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| Mother Mary Ignatius Carroll, SHCJ |
The College finally received permission to construct a crypt
in 1939 with hopes that it would eventually become a chapel after making
numerous pleas for consent. M.M. Ignatius made the voyage to the Sisters of the
Holy Child Jesus’ motherhouse in Rome and received permission for an ENTIRE
chapel. Sadly, she did not survive the voyage back; however her dream for a
Rosemont College Chapel was accomplished. On March 19, 1940, ground was broken,
presided over by Cardinal Dennis Dougherty, Archbishop of Philadelphia, and
Mother Mary Cleophas Foy, SHCJ, the College’s president. The Chapel of the
Immaculate Conception was completed and dedicated on January 9, 1941.
The building was completed by Philadelphia Architects, Henry
D. Dagit & Sons, while Matthew McCloskey & Company were builder and
general contractors. The Chapel was constructed in a cruciform shape, set on
the traditional east-west axis. The exterior walls are a combination of local
Foxcraft stone, trimmed with Indiana limestone. The roof is constructed of
steel and concrete slabs covered with Vermont slate in shades of grey and
green. Above the entry to the vestibule there is a limestone statue of the
Immaculate Conception. The tower houses the Chapel bell, which was a gift from
Miss Mary Clare, friend, benefactor, and trustee to the College.
The outer doors are of oak and just above the front door is
a bas-relief representing the Descent of the Holy Ghost. The interior walls are limestone and the
construction is based on the stone vaulting of the centuries old cathedrals and
churches in Europe. The main altar was originally located at the back wall of
the apse but was later moved, in 1969, to be more central following the changes
made to churches and chapels by the Second Vatican Council. The Chapel’s crypt,
or basement, was named St. Joseph’s Hall, and now houses offices and Campus
Ministry.
The stained glass windows have always been considered one of
the most glorious parts of the Chapel, if not all of campus. The windows were
designed and produced by the Willet Stained Glass Studios, in Germantown, PA.
The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception is among the few in America to focus on
the depictions of female saints. The sisters involved with the selection of the
saints all considered how each depiction would impact the lives of students to
come.
For more information on the history of the Chapel of the
Immaculate Conception, arrange an appointment by emailing archives@rosemont.edu. Stop by the Gertrude
Kistler Memorial Library and view more
photos displayed by the Rosemont Archives. Also, don’t forget to attend the
Sunday, January 25th event, “The Windows of the Chapel of the
Immaculate Conception,” beginning at 3 p.m. to learn more about the Windows’
stories, imagery, and meanings.
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