As part of the school’s master plan introduced last spring, the chapel will be re-designed and relocated to the front of the school building.
“Our faith influences our academics, our faith influences arts, our faith influences athletics,” said Board of Trustees Chairwoman Sr. Mary Helen Beirne. The decision was made in part to show that the chapel is “central to our faith,” according to Beirne.
However, “very strong feelings emerged [about moving the chapel],” because “there was a lot of nostalgia and emotion about the chapel,” said President Richard O’Hara.
O’Hara feels that having the chapel present at the front of the school will help distinguish it from other local schools like Bel Air or C. Milton Wright.
“At the end of the day, the feeling that won out was that where the chapel is now, it’s almost like we’ve buried our chapel in the back of the building,” O’Hara said. “Given the fact that we are a faith based school, [we should] have it be front and center, have it be the first thing you see when you come into the newly configured building.”
“It helps give a Catholic signature to the building immediately as people come in,” said Principal Paul Barker.
Therefore, the purpose of the new chapel is to include “[John Carroll’s] vision of life and the symbol of the chapel that is so important to everyone,” said Sr. Beirne.
The layout of the new chapel, a “miter shape standing up,” will “use the image in a new way,” said Sr. Beirne. She added, “There are a number of people who are alumni on the Board who felt very strongly about the symbol. Every single one of them responded [to the new chapel design], ‘Wow, that’s beautiful.’”
However, according to art teacher Michael Gaudreau, whose uncle, Tom Gaudreau, designed the building, the chapel was never about the miter symbol.
Instead, the chapel was a result of “Uncle Tom putting his hands in front of him, like they were embracing prayer. The chapel was to be a symbol of the two hands embracing the people inside and protecting them. It wasn’t the bishop’s miter; it wasn’t the school’s ring,” said Gaudreau. “He wanted the chapel to be somewhat separate from the main activity of the school. He wanted it to be a quiet meditative place.”
In addition to changing the layout of the chapel, a major focus, according to Sr. Beirne, is allowing light in, based on an idea embodied in John Carroll’s Basilica of Baltimore.
“John Carroll’s theme was that the Basilica would be a place of worship and a place to welcome people of all faiths. The light image is John Carroll the archbishop. It’s God’s light coming in and our light flooding out,” said Sr. Beirne.
The chapel will be surrounded by a bigger front lobby, and may make use of glass sides, according to Sr. Beirne.
“It will be a bigger space, it will be a brighter space for worship,” said O’Hara. “I can imagine it will be more of a place where alumni could come back to; I could see some wanting to get married there.”
The chapel’s holding capacity will increase. “We’re hoping it will seat 75 to 100 people,” said Sr. Beirne.
Barker, however, imagines a space large enough for even more.
Barker said, “I think if we believe that 200 is about the right side for an individual class here at John Carroll, it would be really nice to have a space that could accommodate that kind of number. The notion of having a freshman Mass or a junior Mass or what have you is appealing to me.”
About his overall impression of the new chapel concept, Barker said, “It’s hard to kind of make the leap from what you see on paper. But the whole idea coming into a much more open space with a lot more natural light, and then to see this great gathering space that moves vertically rather than horizontally, has at least, as a concept, some appeal to me on a whole lot of levels.”
However, the concept is not set in stone. O’Hara cautions, “I don’t know at this point what design will allow us and what finances will allow us to do.”
Mixed feelings have been expressed by alumni about the relocation of the chapel.
Mike Derbyshire, Class of ’68, said, “When we started at John Carroll, we watched the chapel being built. Because of its unusual shape, it drew a lot of interest in the community because people could see it from 22 and wanted to see what it was all about. It became a trademark for John Carroll.”
However, he added, “It’s time we moved on to a more modern design. There’s a vast pool of alumni out there that obviously won’t be so pleased, but we have to move on.”
Math teacher Alvin Ward, Class of ‘70, said, “I’m happy where it is now, although that’s not to say that I go there a lot. I’ve had good experiences in there as a student. It’s like a kid growing up in a house and all the sudden his parents sell the house and move someplace else. [However], I didn’t feel as upset about moving the chapel when I found out that the miter shape would be retained,” said Ward.
“My initial feeling was that I didn’t like it. There is a very strong link to where it is now. It’s still comforting – I still visit the chapel whenever I feel the need. The building is very angular; the chapel is the one space that is unique. It’s very striking as you drive by the school to see it,” said technology specialist Chuck Wilson, Class of ’70.
Concerns of the alumni have made their way to the Board.
“[The concerns] certainly came to the Board. It wasn’t so much in a formalized way. We have alumni on the board, so it became part of the discussion. There were concerns about moving the chapel, but most of the concern was because we’re used to seeing it there,” said O’Hara.
However, O’Hara said that alumni supported the move because “there was a very purposeful thoughtful decision made to place it in a place of greater prominence where it would be honored even more and with the shape still incorporated,” said O’Hara.
Others see alternative methods to relocating the chapel.
“The chapel is an important part of the school and the lives and memories of the alumni. Perhaps there’s a way it could be enclosed and still be part of the architecture, but have the new chapel in the front. I don’t see it as an either/or; I see it as a both,” said Gaudreau.
Wilson added, “If [the chapel] had to go, I would have preferred if they could have enlarged it, but kept it visible from Churchville Road. I really would like to see the building restored and improved, but I wish they wouldn’t so drastically change the architecture of the building.”
Although the chapel’s structure will change, Sr. Beirne said that its importance remains. “The chapel is about what happens inside it,” she said. “It is a place where people can pray and worship. The purpose of the space is to help us pray.”
Kate Froehlich can be reached for comment at [email protected].
In the coming weeks, “The Patriot” will break down every aspect of the school’s master plan. Check out the previous installment or check back next week for the second installment: parking.
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