When the Monastery was in operation, the Dominican Sisters operated as a cloistered religious order and had limited contact with the outside community.  Within the Chapel, the Sisters had a separate area to the right of the alter in which they would gather to worship.  This area was separated from the general community who was invited to come worship at the Monastery by a wood and metal grating and included only a small passthrough from which the Sisters were able to receive Communion from the Priest.

As we work to make the space function effectively for our students while honoring the legacy of the Sisters and the structure, we worked with the team at CH&E to create an arch doorway between the former Sisters’ Chapel which will serve as the Mary Francis Bachmann School’s music room and the chapel which will host many of the school’s performances and concerts.  The archway, we have created mirrors the arches that appear throughout the architecture of the chapel.

While still in progress, the arch was “placed” this week, officially linking the two rooms that will be vital parts of our school community.