September 1, 2010

Hospital to take chapel’s legacy with it when it moves

By John Gleason

The hallway leading to the chapel on the first floor at Centura St. Anthony Hospital Central is clean and well lit.  Down the hall from the main entrance the first thing visitors see is the Sacred Heart of Jesus, arms outstretched welcoming all who wish to enter.

Generations have come to worship there, to reflect and ask God to watch over their friends and loved ones who were patients in the hospital.  Thousands have taken the walk to the chapel which, like the building itself, is now on borrowed time.

Next year, after 117 years in the same location, St. Anthony Hospital will move to its new facility on the grounds of the Federal Center in Lakewood.  The new hospital will have a new chapel, an unavoidable change that is bittersweet as the old chapel and its memories are left behind. But administrators plan to take as much of the chapel’s artwork and legacy with it when the move takes place, said Steve Schreivogel, director of planned giving for St. Anthony Health Foundation.

“Our goal is to bring as much of the old chapel to the new location; admittedly quite an undertaking,” Schreivogel said.  “The chapel at St. Anthony’s Hospital reflects our Catholic identity while creating an ecumenical space welcoming anyone who enters.  Our new chapel, like our old one, will be place to find comfort, reflect peacefully and pray.”

Opened in 1893 by the Poor Sisters of St. Francis, St. Anthony’s began caring for the sick and needy of Denver’s ever-growing population.  When a new wing was added in 1901, a chapel was part of that project. That chapel was replaced with the current one in 1967.  The chapel at the Federal Center location will be smaller then the current one, which has created some challenges, Shreivogel said.

“The new chapel will seat 110 people, whereas the current one holds 260, so we do have some space constraints,” he said. “The pews are too big and we thought we could get them cut down but as it stands, we’ll have new ones installed.”

Schreivogel said the altar and the ambo would also be cut down to accommodate their new surroundings.  Statues of the Blessed Mother, Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Anthony will be transported first to Gerkin’s Religious Supplies for repair and refurbishing, then to their new home.  Another piece of artwork that will be moved is a 10-foot-by-15-foot mural of the Crucifixion which dates from 1928.

On the day the Denver Catholic Register visited the chapel, it was temporally closed as 26 stained glass windows were being removed and readied for transport. Designed by Oreo Inc. of San Antonio, Tex., each window depicts different biblical events: The Annunciation, Nativity, the Last Supper, Jesus’ betrayal and the Crucifixion.  Although not heavy, approximately 40 pounds each, care was taken to ensure that no part of the windows cracked before they were installed in their new home.  A second set of windows, located higher on the chapel wall, cannot be moved but, according to Shreivogel, parts of them will live on after the building is gone.

“We’re going to cut angels and butterflies from the glass so that people can obtain a small piece of the chapel for themselves,” he said. “And we’re planning to have the marble Communion rail cut down into small crosses for the same purpose.  It will allow people to take with them a piece of the old St. Anthony’s history.”

The cost to finish and completely furnish the new chapel is estimated at $650,000. Schreivogel said donors have come forward to help with the cost, but more are welcome.

“There are so many people whose lives have been touched by St. Anthony Hospital,” he said, “and the chapel has been a sanctuary to all of them—patients, employee’s family members and friends.”

Information on how to help can be found online at www.stanthonyhealthfounda tion.org or by calling Schreivogel at 303-629-4056.

MASS AND PRESENTATION

The relocation of the chapel at Centura St. Anthony Hospital Central is being done completely by donation. As part of the fundraising effort, a special Mass and breakfast will be held at 7 a.m. Sept. 16 at the hospital, 4231 W. 16th Ave., Denver.  During the breakfast a special power-point presentation about the relocation effort will be conducted by Steve Schreivogel, planned giving director for the St. Anthony Health Foundation.  For more information, call 303-629-4056.