The Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas is one of the oldest buildings on campus, and it has served the St. Thomas community for almost nine decades. It was designed by Emmanuel Masqueray, the French-born architect who designed the magnificent Cathedral of St. Paul and Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, as well as the Ireland Hall student residence on campus.
The chapel is essential to the Catholic nature of the university, and it serves as the spiritual center of the St. Paul campus. It is used throughout each week for public worship and private prayer. Mass is celebrated in the chapel daily, alumni hold weddings there weekly, and student choirs and musical ensembles perform there periodically throughout the school year.
Renovation of the chapel is needed for three reasons:
The Chapel of St. Thomas never has had a permanent crucifix. Given the Catholic understanding of the Mass as the celebration of the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, the new crucifix and sanctuary renovation will express more clearly Catholic theology and spirituality in a style consonant with Masqueray, in both style and materials used.
Changes in the sanctuary will include a new a 11-foot-tall crucifix suspended over the main altar, a bronze-and-wood movable altar and new ambo, a new sanctuary floor, and an architectural arch with new movable screen behind the altar. In addition, there will be handicapped accessibility to the sanctuary and a new sound system.
Improvement in the sound system has been needed for several years. The current system provides unacceptable sound quality for both speaking and musical uses. The chapel has been without central air conditioning. With daily Masses, weekly weddings, and local and national conferences on campus – especially during the summer – this addition for worshippers’ comfort has become essential. Repairs are needed to the chapel’s ceiling and basement, which were damaged by water prior to a 2000-2001 roof replacement and have not been repaired yet
All members of the St. Thomas community will enjoy the new flexibility that will more easily accommodate concerts and other sacred-arts events, the renewed visual beauty and aural quality, and the increased comfort of the environment.
The Reverend James Notebaart, a noted liturgical designer from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and Alexander Tylevich, an internationally-known sacred artist and sculptor will direct the renovations. Both worked on the St. Thomas More Chapel at the School of Law on St. Thomas’ Minneapolis campus, for which they have won four national awards.
The chapel will be closed during January and February 2008 while the first phase of this work will be completed.