Celebrating the promise: Mary of the Angels turns 100

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Mary of the Angels Chapel as it appears today.

It started with a vision more than a century ago. A small community of forward-thinking women, holding true to a promise made by Mother Antonia Herb, put into motion the construction of Mary of the Angels Chapel.
We look back on the chapel's beginnings, the construction process and its completion. Sister Jolyce Greteman researched the St. Rose Diary to locate these excerpts. Unless otherwise noted, all historic photos are courtesy of the FSPA archives.

1901 - 1902

January - March 1901
Architects from La Crosse, Milwaukee and St. Louis submit plans for the new chapel. The sisters choose the architectural design by Eugene R. Liebert, from Milwaukee.

April 1901
Tear down of garden buildings and other site preparations begin. Existing adoration chapel is torn down and cleared away with the help of all sisters, candidates and orphans.

Original gallery floor plan for the chapel.

June 1901
Workers begin laying the foundation.

Fall 1901
Eugene Liebert brings final plans for the high altar and new chapel.

January 1902
About a million bricks are expected to be needed for the new construction. The yard resembles a brickyard. Photographs of windows for consideration are presented by Mayer & Co., New York.

April 1902
Excavation for the powerhouse begins. Steel beams are brought in for the chapel. An extra hour of adoration is held, with prayers for protection from the Mother of God and the holy angels for the building program.

Construction workers pose for a photo.

May 4, 1902
A solemn cornerstone laying for the new chapel is held. All sisters and orphans attend. The statistics, documentation of the community, the names of all the sisters and other items were placed in the stone.

July 1902
Workers complete the mosaics over two windows and brickwork at the chapel about three feet above the first tier of windows.

October 1902
Powerhouse brickwork is completed, and roof and tunnel work begins. Brickwork on the chapel continues.

November - December 1902
Iron for the roof is brought in, and work begins on the roof. Colored drawings for the windows are considered and modified.

Workers from E. Hackner Altar Co. pose in the chapel. They worked on the altars, statues, stations of the corss and pews.

1903 - 1904

January 1903
Four major beams are put into place to hold the chapel dome, which is estimated to weigh six tons. Boilers are installed in the boiler house. Bricklayers are completing gables for the Adoration Chapel.

March 1903
The stone cross was placed on the Adoration Chapel. It took nine men to accomplish the job.

May 1903
Workers begin constructing the arches in the Adoration Chapel.

May 1903
Stone figure of the Lord is placed above the main entrance to the chapel.

August 1903
Iron workers form the roof of the dome and complete all iron work.

November 1903
Cement floor is laid in basement chapel. First window panes are placed in the chapel tower.

December 1903
Last tiles are laid on the roof.


Left photo, chapel construction continues. Right photo, main aisle in chapel facing the west, the original organ can be seen.

January 1904
The monstrance for the Adoration Chapel arrives.

February 1904
Heat is turned on for the first time in the chapel. The new bell for the chapel, weighing 800 lbs., arrives and is consecrated and is named Maria Angelorum.

March 1904
The sisters begin to sing in the chapel to check the acoustics. The new bell is rung for the first time. Plasterers from Chicago begin their work.

October - November 1904
The windows have all been set in the chapel. Painting in the chapel has been started by the staff of Adolf Liebig of Milwaukee, including the master painter Bernhardt Hillig. Adoration Chapel painting is put into place.



			The main altar in Mary of the Angels Chapel is completed, above left, Photo above, Albin Polasek works on a statue of the archangel Michael. Photo from Carving His Own Destiny, the Story of Albin Polasek. Left photo, framework for the chapel roof is in place.

1905 - 1906

May 1905
Altar is set up in the basement chapel and is consecrated. The painting Granting of the Portiuncula Indulgence arrives.

September 1905
Bronze doors for the chapel arrive.

January 1906
Pipe organ is put into place.

March 1906
Marble angels are set on the adoration altar of the new chapel. Paintings Annunciation and Juliana were hung in the new chapel.

April 1906
The altars of the new chapel are finished.

May 1906
Pews are placed in the new chapel.

July 1906
Marble statues are put up on all the altars. The rosary is said in common for the first time in the chapel. The outdoor protective angel statue is safely put into its niche.

August 1, 1906
Relics of saints are chosen for different altars of the new chapel.

August 2, 1906
The chapels are consecrated.




Top left photo, chapel and convent grounds circa 1906-1913. Top right, construction continues. Photo above left, a procession enters the new Mary of the Angels Chapel for the dedication ceremony. Above right, the original solid-cast bronze doors formerly at the Winnebago Street entrance.

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