Chapel of St. Philip

The mystery of the incarnation of the Word of God, Jesus Christ, is told in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. The angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary in the village of Nazareth and “the power of the Holy Spirit overshadowed her.”

Father Vernon Robertson, our “founding father” had a special devotion to this mystery. He collected art for years, especially depictions of the Annunciation. These depictions — over 40, from medieval to modern — are on display at the Chapel every year during March.

To honor the Annunciation and the art, we always have a special celebration. Since we are restricted from gathering in groups, this year’s celebration will not be communal. Instead, we invite you to drop by during office hours or call to make an appointment to view the exhibit privately.

On July 17, 1898, the following article appeared in the Courier-Journal:
This afternoon at 2:30 O’clock the Rt Rev. William George McCloskey, Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Louisville, assisted by a number of his clergy, will lay the corner-stone of the new church of St. Philip Neri at Floyd and Woodbine streets. The church is to be of brick and will be a very pretty one. It will cost about $16,000.”

Q. Why are we looking at changes for the future?
A. $16,000 is merely a drop in the maintenance bucket these days!

By Tom Jones

When I first came to a potluck at the Catholic Worker four years ago, as an architect enamored with a wonderful 120-year-old campus full of possibility, I was immediately accepted by a warm group of friends. Over the next few years, I began to see the need and prospects of a bigger vision for this venerable place.

Of late I have been crawling through the past, sometimes literally, researching the church and rectory in both archdiocese archives as well as shimmying through crawl spaces and attics. At a recent architects’ seminar, I was teased by colleagues about the need to hire an intern for such duties. Little did they know I find communion with master-builders’ spirits’ in such places.

Looking at 20 years of Chapel News issues, I found a rich landscape of spiritual witness, community involvement and rituals that have taken place.  Even now I attend a regular concert series produced by Charlie Walsh, current chapel board president.

However, on the downside, becoming the venue for larger and higher quality events becomes problematic due to deferred maintenance, lack of accessibility or toilet facilities. 

The issue for the future becomes twofold. First, how can I help care for our “Gift of the Land.” Second, how can I help further the mission of the chapel in the spirit of its originating visionary, Father Vernon Robertson.

One of the issues I see in the raising of funding for maintenance, repairs and new initiatives becomes that of the ownership of the property. While all the entities involved have various abilities to fundraise, those donations are usually restricted to operations. Improvements to the property become the responsibility of the Urban Charities Trust Inc., which is land-rich but cash poor.  I also worry there is also the chance that the buildings could be sold off.

What are some possibilities?

With improved accessibility and toilet facilities, I view the chapel as comfortably entertaining larger more formal, regular events. It could become home to regular conference and lecture series on social justice, retreats and spiritual celebrations.

Yesterday I listened to the bountifully resonant tones of a Balkan Folk Choir echoing through the sanctuary.

Removing the pews and leveling the floor could allow for flexible seating arrangements that could accommodate these various activities.

The addition of a commercial-grade kitchen could help serve several possibilities, such as becoming an incubator for street food vendor businesses, assisting La Casita and Casa Latina in their daily serving needs or serving the regular events described above.

The roof area of the church and other campus buildings is massive and open to direct sunlight. Solar panels might supply much of the campus energy needs.

How will these decisions be explored and made?

The Chapel board has reviewed and discussed my initial brainstorming document with enthusiasm. Currently, I am working on measured drawings and doing research for a Master Plan. 

The bottom line remains that the big idea must evolve. I continue to brainstorm and dream, nurture and discuss with all interested parties.

What patterns from the past have born the most fruit? What new ideas might take flight? Invitations have been sent with the hope of a meeting with the Urban Charities Trust Inc. to discuss an instrument or mechanism by which our needs and dreams may be pursued.

Finally, I pray for the intercession of Joe Cunningham.  I never met him, but his name was memorialized on the side of a rafter in the attic of the Chapel on Nov. 26, 1898, approximately 4 months after the cornerstone was laid and he was helping construct the roof. He helped build it one brick, one stick at a time reaching for the sky. Help us, Joe, as we reach for the sky!

Since its inception in 1997, The Chapel of St. Philip has been about gathering, particularly in prayer or in another spiritual endeavor.

While we are prohibited from gathering, as we help stem the tide of COVID-19, we are still free to join in prayer.

Prayer is about as universal a thing as there is and has been for human history. Even atheists have slogans, verbal commitments, encourage groups to get together and chant.

You bring people together and it’s a form of prayer.

It’s universal.

A lot of the purpose of prayer is to unify, but there is also space for solitude.

At St. Louis Bertrand Church last week, though there were no public Masses, 10-12 people were there at a time — spread widely throughout the cavernous building, avoiding contact. Each was in his or her own private prayer. But there was solace in the sense there was still community, others praying nearby.

We’re all there together and apart. We have our solitude and our community at the same time. It’s like the Trinity. We all want community and we all want simplicity that comes with solitude.

We’re all shut-ins right now to one extent or another.

We’ve had to reconsider our prayer and our spiritual selves and our relationship to one another. We can learn from that now.

For now, we’ll explore this new way of being. And we pray with hope for a time when we can unite again in communal prayer.

Here’s a prayer we can share in our solitude in communion with one another:

Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.” At your command, the sick were made well.
Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.
— Excerpt from ‘A Coronavirus Prayer,’ America Magazine, by Kerry Weber.

By Bill Walsh

The Chapel Council has been giving considerable thought and conversation to the future.

Recently, we’ve begun digging into the history of the original St. Philip Neri Parish, even going so far as to study the blueprints from past decades. We’ve learned that the church building, built in 1898, cost $16,000 to construct.

We need much more than that to preserve The Chapel and other buildings on the campus. “Brainstorming” is currently ongoing.

First, we need to define our “mission” clearly. Sources of major funding will want to understand the need for the funding. We expect to spend most of 2020 developing a plan and getting started.

Meanwhile, we will have the normal expense of utilities, supplies and necessary repairs.

Anyone who would like to help in any way is whole-heartedly welcome.