From The Catholic Press, September 22, 1927, p. 23.

Lewisham Hospital's Beautiful Chapel: Opened on Sunday.

On the occasion of the opening of the new chapel for the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary, at Lewisham Hospital, on Sunday, the 18th inst., Pontifical High Mass was celebrated at 9 o'clock in the morning, and Solemn Benediction in the afternoon at the termination of a public meeting held in the hospital grounds. The last named function was broadcast.

At Pontifical High Mass his Grace the Archbishop of Sydney was the celebrant. He was assisted by Very Rev. Father Phelan P.P. (Chancellor of the Archdiocese). Very Rev. Dr. M. J. O'Reilly, C.M. (Provincial), was deacon; Rev. Dr Leonard, sub-deacon, and Rev. Mr. Byrne was master of ceremonies. The deacon at the throne was Very Rev. Father Bertrand, C.P., and the sub-deacon, Rev. Father J. M. Kelly. The students' choir from St. Patrick's College, Manly, under the baton of Rev. Father O'Flynn, sang a Gregorian Mass, and also rendered Vittoria's "Ave Maria" at the Offertory. Prior to the celebration of Mass a procession took place from the sacristy, when his Grace the Archbishop, preceded by the cross-bearer and acolytes, and accompanied by Archbishops, Bishops, priests and Sisters, proceeded to the sanctuary.

The prelates present included the Archbishop of Wellington (Most Rev. Dr. Redwood, S.M.), the Archbishop of Hobart (Most Rev. Dr. W. Barry), the Bishop of Goulbourn (Right Rev. Dr. J. Barry), the Bishop of Bathurst (Right Rev. Dr. M. O'Farrell), the Bishop of Wagga Wagga (Right Rev. Dr. J. W. Dwyer), the Bishop of Port Augusta (Right Rev. Dr. A. Killian), the Bishop of Armidale (Right Rev. Dr. O'Connor), and the Vicar-Apostolic o Cooktown (Right Rev. Dr. Heavey, O.S.A.).

In the afternoon, his Grace Archbishop Redwood gave Solemn Benediction. His Grace the Archbishop of Sydney presided, and was associated with the Apostolic Delegate, Most Rev. Dr. Cattaneo. Very Rev. Fr. Phelan officiated as deacon, with Rev. Fr. K. Byrne as sub-deacon. Rev. Mr. Byrne was master of ceremonies. The visiting prelates were present. Under the direction of Rev. Fr. O'Flynn, the Manly students' choir sang Palestrina's "O'Salutaris," and the "Tantum Ergo" and "Te Deum."

Public Meeting.
THE ADDRESSES.

In a large marquee in the hospital grounds, a public meeting was held in the afternoon. His Grace the Archbishop of Sydney presided, and associated with him on the platform were the Apostolic Delegate (Most rev. Dr. Cattaneo), the Archbishops and Bishops above mentioned, and the Right Rev. Monsignor T. Hayden (President of St. Patrick's College, Manly), Very Rev. Dr. M. J. O'Reilly, C.M. (provincial), Rector of St. John's College, within the University of Sydney; Very Rev. Fr. S. M. McNamara, O.F.M. (Commisary-Provincial), Very Rev. Father E. Courtais, S.M. (Superior), Rev. Fathers H. McGuire and J. Sheridan, Mr. Justice Edmunds, Mr. L. Cotter, L.C., M.L.C., Sir Mark Sheldon, Mr. E. A. McTiernan, M.L.A., and Mr. M. J. O'Neill.

The Sisters' Welcome.

In opening the meeting, Father Phelan said he had been asked by the Mother Provincial to extend, on behalf of the Community, a cordial welcome to all who had come o aten the ceremony of opening of the new chapel. It was a day of great rejoicing for the Sisters, and he himself felt the the rejoicing would be increased by the presence of so many friends. The Sisters were indebted to his Grace the Archbishop not only for his interest and encouragement, but for having celebrated Mass - the principal feature of the opening - that morning. They were also deeply grateful to the Apostolic Delegate, who had blessed four altars of the new chapel on the previous Thursday. To the venerable patriarch and Churchman, Dr. Redwood, to Dr. Barry, of Hobart, and to all the other visiting prelates they also extended a welcome.

Archbishop of Sydney's Address.

His Grace the Archbishop of Sydney said they rejoiced that day with the Sisters in their new chapel, which would be the home of Our Lord day and night. There He would always be inviting and receiving His visitors. A long-felt expectation of the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary had been gloriously fulfilled, and the chapel now stood as an object of admiration to all. They were happy to be there that day, to make memorable the occasion. There was good reason for appreciating the work of the Sisters. Australia was still a missionary country, and older nations had learned practical lessons in charity from Australia, notwithstanding that Catholics were hardly a fourth of the population. Catholics had to be, as it were, militant, and also they had to make sacrifices, which would be all the better for them.

The healing of the body was a prelude to the healing of the soul, continued his Grace. In India the missionary began by opening a dispensary for the curing of the ills of the body. The natives, in their gratitude, would, like children, drink in the milk of Christianity. When patients came to Lewisham Hospital, they found themselves in touch with Christianity, and they went away receiving further gifts from the Holy Ghost. Sydney people knew the value of the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary, who were doing a great deal to spread devotion to the Church, which was the perfect auxiliary to their work.

It was no ordinary building that had been erected for the Sisters; it was a church dedicated to the Maternal Heart of Mary, and it would be a source of sanctity to the Sisters, whose first and last visits in the day were to the chapel. Also the church would be a source of patience and heroism, perseverance and success. They would all thank God for having put it in their power to aid in the accomplishment of a grand and glorious work.

Archbishop Redwood.

His Grace the Archbishop of Wellington said he rejoiced in having been providentially brought there for the ceremonies. He congratulated the Sisters on the new chapel. He had known the Sisters for many years, and had been acquainted with the venerable foundress, whom he had seen in Rome nearly 50 years ago. He had been present at the laying of the foundation stone of the magnificent institution there, and even had helped the masons at their work on that occasion.

Proceeding, his Grace said that it was due to the careful nursing of the Sisters that he was enabled to attend the great International Eucharistic Congress at Chicago, and for that he was very grateful to them. He rejoiced with the Sisters that day, and hoped before long to have one of their beautiful institutions in Wellington, for the other day he had laid the foundation-stone of a three-storeyed building for that purpose. It was on a magnificent sit and situated within grounds four acres in extent. It was his ambition to help the Sisters in every possible way.

Archbishop of Hobart.

His Grace the Archbishop of Hobart said his association with the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary dated back just 29 years, tot he time when he was a kind of chaplain at the Poor School in Sydney. They made such an impression on him then that it had lasted ever since. Scattered all over Tasmania there were people who had a high opinion of the Sisters at Lewisham Hospital, which was not only known throughout the Commonwealth, but far beyond it.

Stressing the profound influence of the Sisters in spiritual life, his Grace said it should be remembered that as great as the advancement of medical science to-day, there were secrets in the human personality that escaped even the microscope. Medical men were ministers to the body; but they could not touch the personality. They could not touch that mysterious link that made the body and soul united so long as life lasted.

Continuing, his Grace said that the new chapel would be the nursery and cradle of the Sisters' spiritual life in the years to come. "Lewisham holds the place that it does, not only because it brings strength and consolation to the soul. I have no hesitation in saying that the doctors of this hospital are so successful because the Sisters are such spiritual physicians in ministering to the human soul." The Sisters derived this exquisite element from their hourly communications with the Holy Spirit. The doctors could have learned form the Sisters that man had a soul, and they would still learn from the Sisters. He was prepared to make a statement, and to pace it at the services of the ministry of propaganda for the Eucharistic Congress, and that was when the thousands of visitors from the Commonwealth and overseas came to Sydney, they would, after having seen St. Mary's Cathedral, say, "The next place we want to see is Lewisham Hospital."

Financial Statement.

The financial statement, which was read by Mr. E. A. McTiernan, disclosed that the contractor's price and architects' fees for for the new chapel amounted to approximately £23,800; the amount paid out on account was £19,800, leaving a debt of approximately £4000.

Dr. O'Reilly's Address.

Very Rev. Dr. O'Reilly said that he did not feel at all at home that day, as he had been deprived of the privilege which had been entrusted to him for many years back - that of proposing the opening of a subscription list. Instead he had been requested to thank the donors who had made possible the building of the new chapel. While thanking, on behalf of the Sisters, the numerous donors, they thought of those who, by their kindness and appreciative sympathy, made so easy the task of the Blue Sisters. He was delighted with the plan of the new convent chapel, which marked a distinct architectural advance. He thought this was in no small measure due to the Mother Provincial, who was a woman with very big ideas. A woman of less pluck would have faced a much simpler task. The project, however, had been very successful, and now there was only a small debt of £4000. He thanked all those who had come to the assistance of the Sisters in the erection of a beautiful and artistic chapel.

The Apostolic Delegate.

His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Cattaneo said it was the first occasion on which he had taken part in a function of the kind at Lewisham Hospital, and he could not refrain from saying a few words concerning the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary. He was filled with admiration by the number of people who had come to show their gratitude to the Blue Sisters. He had come to know the Mother Provincial since he had been in Australia, and he had observed the grand work being performed by the Sisters at Lewisham. "They  call themselves the Little Company of Mary," concluded his Excellency, "but whoever is in the company of Mary is not little, but great."

Vote of Thanks.

A vote of thanks to his Grace the Archbishop of Sydney, moved by Mr. Justice Edmunds, was carried with acclamation.

"May God keep us united in affection to Holy Church, and to the Sacred Heart of Our Divine Lord," said his Grace, in the course of his reply.

Donations.

During the afternoon, the list of the subscriptions at the annual meeting was read by Mr. M. J. O'Neill.

The full list of donations will be published in the "Press" at a later date.

The New Chapel.

The chapel, which has been built to celebrate the jubilee of the Rev. Mother Xavier, Provincial of the Order of the Little Company of Mary, is of the basilica type, and is designed in the style known as "Italian Romanesque." The internal length of the church is 110 feet, by a width of 36 feet, with a height from floor to ceiling of 52 feet ,and will accommodate nearly 400 people. The sanctuary is apsidal, with a richly coffered dome ceiling, and there are four side chapels., the choir gallery being over the principal entry vestibule; and above the choir will be the large stained-glass window, which is eing presented by Mrs. Freehill. The High Altar, which is the gift of the late T. J. Dalton, K.G.S.C., is dedicated to the Maternal Heart of Mary, and is one of the most beautiful yet seen in Australia. The altar is constructed of statuary marble, with enamel mosaic bands inserted forming panels, and has a very beautiful front, the main centre panel being an excellently carved reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the Last Supper, in the Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan. The two side panels are also carved, with mosaic bands inset. The exposition throne, which is the crowning feature of the altar, is reached by two flights of marble steps, placed between the back of the altar and the lower portion of the reredos. The throne emerges from the reredos itself in the form of a canopy, surmounted by a hemispherical dome, which is supported upon columns of Sienna marble. The tabernacle is also of marble, with a very beautiful mosaic panel. This altar is the work of McBride Studios at Peitrasanta, Italy.

A most attractive feature of the sanctuary is the beautiful marble mosaic paving, with its delightfully intricate ornamentation, into which has been woven some of the emblems of Christianity, as adopted by the early Christians. The blending of the coloured particles in this paving gives a rich, subdued effect. The whole of the mosaic work to the sanctuary was carried out by Melocco Bros., Ltd., of Annandale, Sydney. The four side altars were carried out by the same firm. These altars are constructed of marble from Cudgegong (N.S.W.) quarries. This marble is of a rich, warm tone, giving the same effect as the world-renowned Italian Sienna marble, and is in complete harmony with the surrounding work of the chapel. The effect obtained in these altars with the recessed niches and shell-like canopy, is very chaste and pleasing. The niches will at an early date be filled with statues of the Sacred Heart, St. Joseph, ST. Francis Xavier, and St. Michael, in whose honour they will be erected.

Stations of the Cross.

When designing the chapel the architects kept well in mind the installing of the 14 panels of the Via Crucis, the placing of which was not left to chance, but was to be kept part of the general scheme of architecture. Forming part of the fabric, it was necessary, therefore, to have this work carried out in a suitable material, something of a solid and substantial nature being essential. Enamel mosaic was used by the Christians from the beginning of Christianity, and from the humblest decoration to the great Byzantine masterpieces, this material has been found to be the most durable and suitable in which to give expression to the Christian requirements, so this enamel mosaic was decided upon. As a tone of dignified simplicity had been aimed at throughout the building, great care had to be exercised in the introduction of colour, and in mosaic more than in any other work (with the exception, perhaps, of painting), restraint has to be exercised in the use of colour. These panels are the work of a group of Venetian mosaic artists, to whom great credit must be given for the definite and inspiring effect which they have given to every one of the figures. Although using only the softest possible colours in the figures themselves, and in the background, the use of several shades of gold mixed, has given life and movement to this work, and makes the delicately coloured figures stand out prominently. The frames of these panels are of a most unusual construction, being especially designed for concealed lighting; the material is a synthetic stone, which can be made in colour to match any natural stone. These frames were modelled, manufactured and fixed in position by Melocco Bros., Ltd.

Perhaps what most arrests the attention upon entering the chapel is that wonderful work of art, the hanging crucifix in bronze. The crucifix is suspended by a special bronze chain from the centre of the main arch of the apse. The Figure, which is a little larger than life-size, is the work of one of Italy's most famous ecclesiastical sculptors of the present age, Professor D. Mastroianni, of Rome. The proportion of the Cross, with its trefoiled extremities is excellent, and the Figure anatomically correct, but the most wonderful part of this work is the expression on the dying Saviour's face - that of a noble mind in a body racked with pain . Such a portrayal as this has not been excelled by great artists of past ages, and those who have had the opportunity of closely examining this work have been impressed with its beauty. Were more of this type of work introduced into Australia the country would be greatly enriched in its art possessions.

The parquet flooring is the work of Messrs. G. Hudson, Ltd., and the metal work throughout that of James Castle and Sons, Ltd. The architects are Wardell and Denis.