Saint Scholastica Chapel
Come visit the Church of Saint Benedict’s
Adoration Chapel
Adoration Hours
Monday – Friday
6:00 AM-Midnight
*Closed 8:00-9:00 AM for cleaning
Saturday
8:00 AM-12:00 PM
A Fascinating History
In the year 2020AD, the spiritual journey for the members of the Parish of St. Benedict in Broken Arrow, OK, reached an important milestone with the completion of a new Adoration Chapel, a very special and holy place dedicated to prayer that is focused on Jesus Christ in the Blessed Eucharist; prayer in which the people of this Parish meet Jesus Christ face-to-face in a most profound manner.
The idea for a chapel at the Parish of St. Benedict dedicated solely to Adoration of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist was first proposed by Fr. Joe Townsend in 2016. As he shared his vision regarding the design and purpose for the chapel with members of St. Benedict, Fr. Joe was encouraged by their support. Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has been important to members of this Parish for many years, so it was not surprising that the proposal to build this Adoration Chapel received strong support. A Building Committee was formed including seven lay members along with the clergy serving the Parish. Although Fr. Townsend was transferred from St. Benedict in 2018, the chapel project continued without interruption with the new pastor, Fr. Bryan Brooks, providing great leadership.
The Architecture
The brick exterior of the chapel is highlighted with cast stone images of the Cross of St. Benedict on both front and rear walls.
Statues of Saints Benedict and Scholastica, which were sculpted in Italy from white, carrara marble, stand at either side of the main entry. Above the door is a beautiful mosaic depicting Jesus Christ as the Teacher. Inset in the sidewalk near the entrance to the chapel are over 300 commemorative bricks engraved with the names of family members whom parishioners wish to remember now and into the future.
The interior of the chapel features a vaulted ceiling with wood beams for emphasis and beautiful wood casements for the windows. Standing in an alcove on either side of the chapel are statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, respectively.
The Stained-Glass Windows
Most special to the members of the Parish of St. Benedict are the beautiful stained glass windows that depict some of the most important events in the life of Mary and her Son, Jesus; including the Annunciation by the Angel Gabriel that Mary would become the Mother of Jesus; the birth of Jesus; the Finding of Jesus in the Temple; the meeting of Jesus with His Sorrowful Mother as He carried His Cross to Calvary; the great sadness of the Pieta; and the Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven.
These windows were once the most beautiful feature of the chapel in the former Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother Convent right here in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The windows were made in Germany and installed in the chapel of St. John Hospital in Tulsa in 1926. They were removed during the renovation of this chapel in 1960 and later installed in the chapel of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother Convent in 1964 where they remained until 2015 when the building which once housed the convent was razed. From 1980-83, weekend Masses for the newly-established Parish of St. Benedict were celebrated in this chapel. Minor repairs and restorations were completed on the windows by Loman Glass Studio in Tulsa.
The Altar
The search for a vintage altar that would be suitable for the chapel led to the little town of Burns, Kansas, which was once home to Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish, established in 1882. On September 25, 1918, a beautiful new altar was dedicated which would continue to serve the parish until it was closed in 1993. This altar was constructed of plaster formed in molds with intricate detail, including on the front surface, an excellent depiction of the Last Supper. When the altar is fully assembled, the cross at the top is 14 feet above the floor level.
After the altar had been in storage for 27 years, Karl Freund, owner of Freund Custom Furnishings of Cheney, Kansas, became aware of its existence through his business of restoring furnishings for churches. He passed on information about the altar to Patrick Winter, who was a member of the Building Committee for the chapel project. All members of the committee agreed that it would be perfect for the Adoration Chapel. Freund Custom Furnishings completed minor repairs and repainting of the altar. Patrick Winter worked with Karl in designing and building a unique tabernacle into the structure of the altar to enhance its compatibility with an antique monstrance made in Germany in the 19th century which will be used for Eucharistic Adoration in the chapel. And finally, in accord with the historic tradition of the Catholic Church, a relic of St. Benedict was placed in the altar. The relic was donated by Fr. Sean O’Brien, who grew up at the Parish of St. Benedict.
Donations by Parishioners
All expenses associated with the acquisition and refinishing of the altar were paid by a member of the parish whose donation was made in memory of Mrs. Novelle Townsend, the mother of Fr. Joe Townsend. Donations totaling over $180,000 were made by members of St. Benedict to cover the cost of restoring the altar and the stained glass windows and for the purchase of all other furnishings for the chapel. Bishop David Konderla presided at Mass and dedicated the chapel on June 11, and the Blessed Eucharist was first reserved in the chapel on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, June 14, 2020.
Members of the Building Committee for the Adoration Chapel Project
Robert Martin (Chair); Fr. Bryan Brooks (Pastor); Fr. James Porter (former Associate Pastor); Deacon Dick Berberet; Michael Hall; Adam Minihan; David Niles; Terry Rainey; Charles Schiffli; and Patrick Winter. Design plans for the Chapel were prepared by Mary Miller and Austin Drumm of KKT Architects, Inc. General contractor for the project was Kbi Construction; Charly Basnett, President, and Randall Rowden, Construction Manager.
