Chronology

This chapel is within a larger renovated building on 57th Street in Manhattan. The building is called the IESE Building. IESE is an affiliate of the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.

Building Architect	Gensler Architects
Photographer	Chris Brown

The Heights Chapel, located in the new wing of the Heights School, was designed to provide a beautiful, dignified and sacred place for the worship of Our Lord in the liturgy and for personal prayer. The architecture of the Catholic Church has always sought to serve the liturgy primarily but also to function as a "catechism" in stone, wood, marble, painting and stained glass leading us from the materiality of things seen to the immateriality of the unseen God.

The Altar is the genesis of the entire design since it is the place of the Holy Mass and the principle object in the Chapel. The top (mesa) is of dark green marble with the gilded inscription in Latin: MATER PULCHRAE DILECTIONIS ORA PRO NOBIS ("Mother of Fair Love, pray for us"). The base is a combination of Indiana limestone and Breccia Pernice marble. Two Credence Tables of green marble & limestone are located on each side of bay window. Suspended directly over the Altar is the Testa [a hanging canopy] of bronze. This is a traditional "tent" structure employed for three reasons: to give the Altar protection and prominence, to house the Crucifix of wood, and to contain the required lighting fixtures. The Crucifix is a realistic portrayal of the Sacrifice of Calvary suspended directly above the Altar where that sacrifice is reenacted each time Holy Mass is said. Within the barrel vaulted Testa and above the Crucifix is a wood bas-relief of a Dove symbolizing the descent of the Holy Spirit.

On the central axis and directly behind the Altar and the Testa is the Reredos Ensemble which consists of a 22 ft 6 inch cheery wood frame in front of the high bay window with two portions: Within the upper portion is a six-foot-high wood Statue of Our Lord as a teenager and His Mother [to whom He has just given a rose]. Directly behind the statue is a tan fabric surrounded by a border of deep blue mosaics with white stars. The lower portion contains a bronze-framed Canopy [6 ft 6 inches wide, 3 ft 6 inches deep and 11 ft 8 inches high]. The Canopy is designed to give prominence and protection to the Tabernacle and also supports the statue above. The sides are of clear glass. The front contains two 10 ft high clear glass doors within bronze frames. Each door has etched figures of archangels: the left door depicts St. Michael (whose motto is: Quis Sicut Deus? Who is like God?) and the right door depicts St. Raphael (whose motto is: Medicina Dei, the medicine of God). These doors are closed: during Holy Mass, to prevent the celebrant from turning his back on the Tabernacle; they are locked at night for security reasons. At all other times they are left open for a clear view of the Tabernacle. Within the Canopy is the Tabernacle, which contains the Real Presence of Our Lord. It is finished in silver and porcelain and was especially designed for this chapel. It rests upon the Tabernacle Table the mesa of which is green marble with the gilded inscription in Latin: EGO VOCAVI TE ("I have called you by your name"). The pedestal below is of limestone on which is affixed the metal Device of the cross-within-the-world, the symbol of Opus Dei. On the mosaic wall behind the tabernacle is depicted the ancient Alpha-Omega monogram (the Beginning and the End) signifying that Our Lord is the beginning, continuation and end of all things. Below are figures of angels adoring Our Lord's presence in the Tabernacle. To the left of the Altar is the Ambo (lectern) composed of cherry wood and limestone with a marble base. On the upper part is located a wood bas-relief of the Eagle. It is a symbol of St. John, Apostle & Evangelist, because his Gospel soars on eagles' wings to the very throne of Heaven.

To the right of the Sanctuary are a group of three cherry wood chairs with cushions. The central chair is for the Celebrant (at Holy Mass) and the two side chairs are for ministers. Facing them to the left of the Sanctuary is the servers' bench of the same material. All of this seating was designed especially for the chapel. In the side alcoves of the Sanctuary are wood statues of St. Joseph, on the left and St. Josemaria Escriva, the Founder of Opus Dei, on the right. In the upper portion of the chapel there are eight stained glass windows consisting of an abstract pattern. The same design is carried to the large (20 ft wide and 16 ft 6 inches high) bay window behind the Reredos. Within the left and right window panels are located the six shields of the Clans of the school.

The Chapel was dedicated on May 3, 2008 by the Very Reverend Msgr. Thomas G. Bohlin, STD, the Vicar of Opus Dei in the US.

Reredos	Cheery wood frame & bronze Canopy: Renovata Studios [Port Chester, NY] Statue of Our Lady & Young Christ: Granda Liturgical Arts [Madrid, Spain] Bronze Canopy Doors, Etched Angels & Mosaics: Rohlf's Stained Glass Co. [Mt. Vernon, NY]
Testa (bronze)	Renovata Studios
Crucifix & Dove	Ferdinand Stuflesser [Ortisei, Italy]
Stained Glass Windows	Rohlf's Stained Glass Co.
Altar, Tabernacle Table, Ambo & Credence Tables	J. Bratti Associates Inc. [Alexandria, VA.]
Eagle of St. John	Ferdinand Stuflesser [Ortisei, Italy]
Tabernacle	designed by Henry Menzies, fabricated by Granda Liturgical Arts.
Sanctuary Furniture	DeFelice Woodworking [Stamford, CT]
Designer	Henry Hardinge Menzies, AIA Architect [New Rochelle, NY]
Architect	Bowie Gridley Architects [Washington, DC]
General Contractor	Keller Brothers Inc.

This photo is of a model of the new 1,000 seat church was designed on a new site in Ridgefield, CT featuring a large Esplanade in front, Blessed Sacrament Chapel and full basement with underground parking.

The focus is on the central altarpiece consisting of a 12 by 19 foot high stained glass window in which is located a two-sided tabernacle behind which is the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

Model and photo

Nick Panettieri

This was a renovation of a chapel built in 1960 at the Elmbrook student center near Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. The painting is an adaptation of Valasquez's painting ,"The Adoration of the Magi", by the Chinese artist Gary Chu. The cheery reredos was fabricated by DeFelice Woodworking. The altar and tabernacle table are of marble.

The original space for this daily chapel consisted of a room roughly 30 ft square with all walls painted white and without any windows. One wall happened to be curved. The daunting challenge of turning this blank, dead room into an attractive daily-mass chapel was solved by cutting a large stained glass window into the curved wall [Our Lady with the Child]. This gives a stunning, colorful Reredos which also admits natural light. On each side of this central window are three slender stained glass windows of abstract design ...each representing one of Our Lady's virtues. These "interior" windows are back-lit. The tabernacle on its table is placed directly in front of the central window. The altar is of limestone and marble.

This small oratory, available 24 hours a day for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, was an expansion of a previous one adjacent to the main church. All woodwork is of mahogany. The table is of marble and limestone. Marble flooring was used immediately around the table. The gold monstrance is from Talleres de Arte Granda of Spain. The painting, by the Chinese artist Ken Jan Woo, is an excellent copy of the "Annunciation" by Fra Angelo. This oratory has turned out to be such a great favorite in the parish that people have to wait in line to get in!

The band room in the St. Mary's High School was converted into a chapel which includes an original painting of the Annuciation by the Irish painter, Donald Murray.

Architect	Henry H. Menzies
Artist	Donna Murray

EXCERPT FROM ARTICLE: The challenge to design a new interior for the Cathedral was a formidable one. The original gothic church, built in 1865, was not designed as a cathedral. This presented various problems which could not have been considered at that time. Furthermore, it was not possible to either retrieve or duplicate the original artwork and accouterments since most had been removed and/or destroyed in the 1978 renovation without any record of the original work available. Consequently, Bishop Lori asked me to "start from scratch" and to bring back something of the gothic splendor of the original church in a beautiful, contemporary vernacular so that while respecting the rich architectural legacy of the past we employ the language and technology of today...

Read the entire article, click here.

The Catholic Information Center, part of the Archdiocese of Washington, is composed of a large bookstore, chapel and various offices and meeting rooms. The new chapel was dedicated on September 14, 2000 by Cardinal Hickey and is the first chapel in the US dedicated in honor of Bl. Josemaria Escriva, Founder of Opus Dei. The center offers daily mass, confessions, counseling and a varied program of lectures and conferences. It is centrally located a few blocks from the White House. The three stained glass windows in the wall between the Chapel and bookstore depict Christ at Emmaus, the Cure d'Ars and St. Thomas More. The two bronze statues flanking the tabernacle are of Bl. JosemariaEscriva and St. Catherine of Siena. The reredos relief depicts the Holy Family with God, the Father and the dove of the Holy Spirit above surrounded by adoring angels.

Architects	Henry Menzies & Bass Associates Chartered
General Contractor	Thompkins
Architectural Woodwork	Hill Enterprises
Stained Glass	Rohlf's Stained & Leaded Glass Co.
Stonework	R. Bratti Associates
Original Bronze Statues	Dony MacManus, Sculptor
Reredos Relief & Accoutrements	Talleres de Arte Granda

This chapel was renovated from an existing library in a school for girls in 1999. It features three outsanding original stained glass windows designed by the world-renowned English artist Frederick Cole for Rohlf' Stained Glass. They depict the Annunciation, the Visitation and the Nativity.

This open-air shrine was built on the grounds of the Featherock Conference Center in Schulenburg, Texas in 1999. It is operated by the Prelature Opus Dei. The Carrara marble statue of the Holy Family, an original, was carved in Carrara, Italy.

This chapel serves the student residents of the center which is located right off the campus of the University of Illinois. The chapel follows the Tudor motif of the house itself and was converted from a previous master bedroom. All the wood is of dark oak including the altar and trim. The stained glass, painting and altar were designed especially for this chapel.

Architect	Henry Hardinge Menzies
Contractor	Interior Woodworking, Inc. & DeFelice Contracting
Stained Glass	Rohlf's Stained & Leaded Glass Co.
Painting	Gary Chu
Photos	Mike Seelinger

This small oratory was designed to serve the needs of a youth facility in Columbia, Maryland. The artist painted the Annunciation mural especially for this oratory.

Architect	Henry Hardinge Menzies
Artist	Justin Weiss

This was a complete renovation of a church built in 1967. After the interior was gutted, the southern portion including the sanctuary was completely re-designed and a new sanctuary, Blessed Sacrament Chapel, sacristies, vestibules and mechanical rooms were installed; existing pews were re-finished; floor re-surfaced; entire area re-painted and re-lit; all artwork was designed especially for this church.

The focus is on the central altarpiece consisting of a 12 by 19 foot high stained glass window in which is located a two-sided tabernacle behind which is the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. The central window depicts the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and the other six rose windows depict the other sacraments.

Associated Architects	Butler Rogers Baskett & Henry Hardinge Menzies
General Contractor	The Deluca Constsruction Co.
Designer, Artist	Frederick Cole (Rohlf's Stained & Leaded Glass Co.)
Photos	Fred George

The challenge was to create a facade which looked more church-like while blending the new with the old. The tower was built of matching field stone to replace the "alpha" tower and is surmounted by a belfry of concrete arches on all four sides. The roof is batten seam copper. The 12 by 17 foot stained glass window portrays Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, holding the Christ child. The four entry glass doors contains etchings of the four Evangelists. The opposite wall contains a rose window depicting the Holy Spirit.

"Twilight at St. Aloysius Parish in New Canaan offers a magical light show when the stained glass in the new bell tower glows brightly, inviting the eye to the illuminated Tabernacle." (Fairfield County Catholic)

Architect	Henry Hardinge Menzies
General Contractor	The Deluca Constsruction Co.
Designer, Artist	Rohlf's Stained & Leaded Glass Co.

This small oratory is located in a student residence for girls near UCLA.

The old chapel was completely gutted and was re-designed and furnished with new walls, new exterior stained glass windows, flooring extensive mahogony trim, new altar, chairs and lighting. It serves the personnel of the Rectory of St. Mary of the Angels as well as the Midtown Cultural Center for a Chicago inner city neighborhood.

Architect	Henry Hardinge Menzies
Contractor	Walsh Construction
Photos	David Clifton

This large chapel was converted from a ballroom in a Tudor mansion. The Baldachino stands free of the patterned ceiling. The twenty stained glass windows depict, in the upper tier, the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, and in the lower is depicted various angels and saints. Both the altar and tabernacle table have trifoil shaped cross sections, limestone bases and marble tops.

Architect	Henry Hardinge Menzies
Baldachino	DeFelice & Frank
Designer, Artist	Frederick Cole (Rohlf's Stained & Leaded Glass Co.)
Photos	Jon Beckett

This small chapel was renovated from an existing dining room in a center for young women in the heart of Milwaukee

The challenge here in a student center just off the Princeton campus was to create a small and colorful sanctuary inside the bay window of an old Victorian house and to light the stained glass both night and day without the appearance from the exterior of anything "churchy" within.

Architect	Henry Hardinge Menzies
Contractor	DeFelice Contracting
Designer, Artist	Frederick Cole (Rohlf's Stained & Leaded Glass Co.)
Photos	Jon Beckett

This shrine to Our Lady is located on the grounds of the conference center. It is approached by a winding path from the center, is heated and faces a pond. It is surrounded by a New York bluestone terrace for private meditation and saying of the rosary.

Architect	Henry Hardinge Menzies and Townsend & Smith
Contractor	Raffin Constsruction
Photos	Jon Beckett

This is the first new building constructed at Arnold Hall. It is composed of two large dining rooms for the Conference Center, two small dining rooms, kitchen, laundry and sewing areas.

Architects	Henry Hardinge Menzies and Kenneth F. Parry & Assoc.
Contractor	H.H. Hawkins & Sons
Photos	Nick Wheeler

This chapel in a student center near Rice University was designed around a stained glass altarpiece by Frederick Cole inspired by the Marian window in Chartres, France... a few of the elements [floor tiles and doors] were designed to reflect the early Mexican influence in this part of Texas. Altars are of limestone and marble; the 4-paneled folding doors which hide the tabernacle during Mass contain paintings depicting the four Evangelists.

Architects	Henry Hardinge Menzies and Jack Earthman
Contractor	Bayou Bay Corp.
Stained Glass	Rohlf's Stained & Leaded Glass Co.
Stained Glass Designer	Frederick Cole

This is a student residence and cultural center for high school and college age boys near St. Louis.

The chapel, located in the basement, was done in stages for reasons of economy. The side "angel" windows and the two small stained glass windows of the doors were gifts. The altar is composed of imported limestone bases and a marble top. The tabernacle table base is from a church's baptismal font. Both were designed by Rev. Tom Lamb. The sanctuary floor is of parquet and brick. The angel mosaic was designed by Frederick Cole.

Architect	Henry Hardinge Menzies
Contractor	Fred Weber, Inc.
Photos	Jon Beckett

This is a student center just outside of Milwaukee which serves as a residence and activities center for men. The spiritual programs are under the direction of the Opus Dei Prelature.

Architect	Henry Hardinge Menzies
Contractor	Berghammer Corp.
Photos	Don Nestler & Jon Beckett

This is a small school for physically-impaired children with one-way glass balcony observation booths for each classroom

This inner-city school is operated by a Catholic religious order

This is a multi-use center for young men; it serves as a residence and educational center and is operated by the Prelature of Opus Dei

This small church was planned to allow the worshippers to have close and clear views of the altar; it's plan is generated by a combination of hexagons; the tower and crucifix are located directly over the altar.

The chapel was conceived as a large dormer roof in three bays. The dormer motif of the old building behind was carried into the dormer chapel form... the slate roof is supported by intersecting laminated wood arches and the resultant vertical wall spaces were filled with abstract stained glass windows...the twin truncated buttresses contain mechanical ducts... the simplicity of the main residence hall building and the Aula wing serve as a contrasting background to the richness of the triangulated chapel forms.

Architects	Architects' Group (Henry H. Menzies, Vince Solomita & Joseph Palermo)
Contractor	J.J. Powers Co.

The Main House was the first building constructed at the conference center and consisted of a large,cathedral ceiling main living room, chapel, dining room kitchen and sacristy. It's construction of concret block, stone, and flexicore concrete precast elements together with award winning brickwork, oak shutters, large steel windows and slate flooring give it an atmosphere of stability and rugged country charm.

Architects	Architects' Group (Henry H. Menzies, Vince Solomita & Joseph Palermo)
Contractor	Thomas Fitzgerald
Photos	Jon Beckett