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Chapel Update
BY BERNIE MUDD-WHITE
In November 2022, restoration began on the interior of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception in the Ursuline Motherhouse. Whitehouse Residential & Commercial Painting, owned by Sacred Heart Academy alum, Amy Bergeron, was contracted to handle the much–needed restoration. The project includes repairs in the main parts of the chapel, including the sanctuary. During the project, which will run through this July, the Whitehouse team will use caution to protect themselves, as well as the delicate details of the 106-year-old interior.
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Scaffolding and hard hats replaced pews, hymnals, and songs making way for workers to remove chipping paint and patch spots for precision painting. Upon first glance at the scaffolding, one might consider Michelangelo’s challenges while painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Painting began in midDecember at the highest point of the chapel’s dome. Workers carefully climbed ladders and scaffolding to reach their paint assignment each day.
Dr. McNay, president of Sacred Heart Schools, said, “We are blessed by the generosity of those who love the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. This chapel, which is dedicated to Mary, is a true treasure. With great care and our eyes to the future, we have worked to restore the beauty of our chapel. I look forward to our Ursuline Sisters, students and alumni celebrating many milestones in the chapel for years to come. To be a part of this restoration has been an honor for Sacred Heart Schools and to me personally.”
Sister Jean Anne Zappa, president of the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, stated, “We are not just preserving a physical structure, but a sacred space where we give praise to God, are nurtured spiritually, and where we strengthen each other to build community wherever we go.”
The Ursuline Sisters of Louisville transferred ownership and stewardship of the Chapel Preservation Fund on January 27, 2022, St. Angela’s Feast Day, to ensure that the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the chapel will continue into perpetuity. Sacred Heart Schools are now the primary caretaker of the Immaculate Conception Chapel, which remains a vital, sacred center for the schools, Sisters and Associates on the Ursuline campus.
Thank you to all the Chapel Preservation Fund donors who made this major restoration project possible.
