A milestone of Hope
Laurie Higgins
There's a new centenarian in town: Our Lady of Hope Chapel in West Barnstable is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
The interior of the historic Our Lady of Hope Chapel in West Barnstable is marked by open beams and stained glass. The church is turning 100. Photo by Alan Belanich
There's a new centenarian in town: Our Lady of Hope Chapel in West Barnstable is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Not only has the milestone inspired several events (see sidebar), but it has also sparked renewed interest in the chapel's history.
The chapel itself is gorgeous, and the amount of care that went into its planning and building is noteworthy.
Fr. Mortimer Downing was assigned as pastor in Hyannis in 1913 and oversaw the creation of the chapel that was dedicated in 1915. His love of art and architecture blossomed during his years at seminary in Paris and his time in Basque. Downing worked closely with renowned Boston architect Mathew Sullivan to design the "Spanish Monastic"-style cathedral.
Parishioner Emilio Silva, who was the construction foreman at the Barnstable Brick Company, oversaw the construction of the church. Silva hand-picked each brick himself to ensure they were all a uniform size. This was important for durability but also because the bricks are visible both inside and outside the chapel.
"There was a story about how one day he found that the brick layers were using bricks from a different source and he got upset," said parishioner Fred Spero. "He knew they would not maintain the symmetry because they were different sizes than Barnstable Brick. It would also weaken the integrity of the building by mixing different size bricks and it would affect the aesthetic appeal if you had different bricks that didn't match."
The symbolism of every part of the architecture is also significant. On top of the Romanesque belfry and Byzantine dome is a cross and anchor, currently being repaired, and set for rededication on May 17.
An anchor is the ecclesiastical symbol of hope, and the church was dedicated to Our Lady of Hope, the name given to an apparition of the Virgin Mary that was said to have appeared to a group of children on January 17, 1871, in the small town of Pontmain during the height of the Franco-Prussian War when it looked like France was going to lose. After the apparition appeared, the Germans started to retreat, and just 11 days later a peace treaty was signed.
Each of the stained glass windows at Our Lady of Hope also bears an anchor. The twelve windows in the nave also contain a symbol of one of the 12 disciples, lilies to represent the Virgin Mary and a Latin word from the first two verses of the song, "Ave Maris Stella," the hymn the townspeople in France sang when the apparition appeared.
Artist John Kirshmeyer, who was a friend of Fr. Downing, created a sculpture of Our Lady with a crown and an anchor that adorns the front of the church. An identical plaster version resides in the sanctuary. Both statues and the beautiful round stained glass window depict the Virgin Mary as described by the children.
Over the years, the church has inspired several parishioners to document its history. Edward W. Kirk did so in his 2011 book, "Faith of Our Fathers and Mothers," and G. Margaret Rourke created a brochure in 1990 that became the starting point for Fred Spero to create a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation of the 100-year history of the chapel and the people who helped build it. Spero interviewed longtime parishioners about their memories of the chapel, and also used the Internet as a resource in his presentation.
"What emerged about the chapel is the incredible connection people have with it," Spero said. "Everyone I interviewed has said how they have fallen in love with coming to this chapel."
Spero has been a member of the parish since moving to Sandwich in 1979. He became interested in the history of the chapel because his last name is both the Italian and Latin word for hope and his family has developed a real connection with the chapel over the years.
The chapel, along with Our Lady of Victory Church in Centerville are both served by the Rev. John J. Perry, who is doing his second tenure as the parish priest.
Fr. Perry first arrived in June of 1989. His arrival caused plenty of confusion because there was already a Fr. John Perry at the church. Parishioners began identifying him as Fr. John J. or J.J., to differentiate him from the older Fr. John A. Perry, with whom he served for five years.
Fr. John J. Perry stayed with the parish until November of 1996 and then served other churches in the diocese until he returned as the pastor at the end of last June. He was part of the parish during their 75th anniversary and is happy to be back to celebrate number 100.
"Every church building is a physical manifestation of the faith of the people who belong there and their history," Fr. Perry said. "It expresses faith in brick and mortar."