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Old hospital chapel to close: Art to benefit new chapel costs
By John Gleason
A cherished bit of St. Anthony Hospital history will come to an end when the final Mass is celebrated in the chapel June 11. Steve Schreivogel, director of planned giving for the St. Anthony Health Foundation, said that there should be a capacity crowd for that last celebration.
“This will be a bittersweet time for a lot of people,” he said. “We have many people who’ve been attending Mass here for years.”
Those who have used the chapel over the years include former patients, visitors and neighbors, he said.
“Some of our staff has been here for more than 35 years,” he added. “It won’t be easy for them to say goodbye to the old place either.”
The final Mass at St. Anthony Central Hospital chapel will be held at 4 p.m. June 11. The chapel is located on the first floor of the hospital, located at 4231 W. 16th Ave. in Denver.
As the transition from the old St. Anthony Hospital in Denver to the new one in Lakewood moves forward, parts of the chapel—some artwork and furnishings—are available for a donation to help cover costs for the new chapel.
Schreivogel said these pieces make precious mementos for those who would like a tangible piece of the chapel’s history.
“(This) will allow people to take with them a piece of the old hospital,” he said.
While much of the artwork and furnishings of the old St. Anthony Hospital chapel have a home in the new one, because the new chapel is smaller and of a different architectural style, some art and pews are available for donations, Schreivogel said.
“You can’t count the number of people who were born at St. Anthony Hospital or had loved ones who died here,” he said. “The chapel was a place for them to come and pray and reflect.”
Items available for a donation include pews, a few stained glass windows (most of the stained glass windows from the old chapel have been installed in the new one), leaded glass light fixtures, some marble altars and marble crosses, which were made from the Communion rail and kneelers.
Available for sale are three religious paintings that were created by artist Jacob Gogolin, who was in residence at St. Anthony’s. The painting “The Supreme Sacrifice” depicts Christ’s crucifixion. The other two pieces portray “Jesus and the Ten Lepers” and “The Last Supper.” All are oil on canvas and date to before the Second World War.
While two of the paintings have been stored in the hospital convent for years, the 15-foot by 9-foot “The Supreme Sacrifice” currently hangs in the second floor of the old chapel. Painted in 1928, the scene contains dozens of distinct figures.
Gogolin, a native of Germany, came to Colorado in 1920. Described as a Western artist, his work can be seen at the Buffalo Bill Museum on Lookout Mountain in Golden, the Utah State Historical Society in Salt Lake City and the Kansas State Historical Society in Topeka, Kan. Illness forced Gogolin to come to St. Anthony’s in 1936. Having already created “The Supreme Sacrifice,” the religious sisters operating the hospital allowed him to set up a studio in the hospital basement where he painted until his death in 1940. It was during this time that he painted “Jesus and the Ten Lepers” and “The Last Supper.”
Schreivogel said that a few people have looked into purchasing the art. He hopes to attract a buyer who would be interested in the trio of works.
“I’d love to keep all three together,” he said. “But I’ll wait and see what the interest is. I’ll be happy to send out copies of the pictures to anyone who is interested in them.”
The pews from the old chapel were too large for the new chapel and cutting them down proved too costly.
“They are very popular,” Shreivogel said. “When we started we had 44 pews; there are 28 left.”
The marble crosses come in three sizes: 6- and 9-inch tall—both of which can be hung on the wall, and a 9-inch cross that comes with a marble base that can sit on a desk or table. Suggested donation for the crosses are $50, $75 and $100. Suggested donation for a pew is $250.
“All monies raised will go to the foundation earmarked for expenses in the new chapel,” Schreivogel said.
For more information, call Schreivogel at 303-629-4056 or email him at StevenSchreivogel@Centura.org.
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