Island Bay Chapel

Our Lady Chapel - Home of Compassion, Island Bay, Wellington

When the first Home of Compassion was built at Island Bay, in 1907, the Sisters were very poor. The room they chose to use as a chapel was primitive, it was situated on the north side of the building, beside St Anne’s ward. In 1916 an important visitor from Rome was appalled at the starkness of the chapel, he told them they must enlarge it and furnish it better. Consequently another ward was taken, and the altar transferred to the opposite end.

During World War I, the Old Boys and Girls (previous residents) of the Home contributed towards getting two angel statues to stand on either side of the altar, holding brass candelabra in their hands. Other statues were added over the years, and paid for by generous benefactors. Later a sacristy was built on to the veranda.

In 1945 a new nursery was built ‘on the hill’, leaving the Jubilee Ward to be made over into a Chapel. A new Sanctuary and Sacristy were added, and new sculptured Stations of the Cross installed. In 1954 a new marble altar was gifted in memory of the Donovan family. A pieta was also donated by the Seymour family and erected at the back of the Chapel.

On 1985 preparations were underway for the demolition of the old Home, so on 19th of April the last mass was celebrated in the Jubilee Ward, and until 1987 Mass was said in the boy’s dormitory of the old Home. Then for the next two years a temporary Chapel was made on the top floor of the Archives building, where up to 40 people could be accommodated.

At last, on the 25th March 1990 - the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, Our Lady of Compassion Chapel was consecrated, dedicated and opened as our first permanent purpose built chapel, a place for collective and individual prayer and worship. Some of the features of the old Home and Chapel have been incorporated into the architecture. There are parts of the original marble altar retained in the tabernacle and the altar, and the holy water font at the entrance to the chapel. The small plaques around the walls are of the same marble. There are pillars from the old Home, two wooden rimu pedestals were newel posts from the stairway, and the coloured Pieta in the vestibule.

The form of the chapel is derived from early timber churches in New Zealand. The Stations of the Cross and the stained glass windows are the work of local artist John Drawbridge.

How to find-go to map