Our Campus
Sacred Heart Chapel
Sacred Heart Chapel
at Dominican Convent
Sacred Heart Chapel, on the grounds of Dominican Convent, was dedicated in 1914. This sacred space, while a private chapel, can be made available for weddings and funerals.
For more information, please call 845-359-4163.
Sacred Heart Chapel has been a prominent part of the landscape at the Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill for well over a century. Built in 1914, this well-known landmark offers a space that is truly magnificent.
Surrounded by pristine grounds, the Chapel’s semi-gothic structure is constructed of tapestry brick, trimmed with limestone. At the entrance are three opulent carved wooden doors, which lead to the clerestoried nave, 128 feet long and 75 feet wide, divided by columns and arches.
A large crucifixion scene, painted by F. Baraldi, towers above the main altar, which, along with the two side altars, is carved in Italian marble by Bernadine Statuary Company.
High in the nave, beautifully decorated clerestory windows sit above pointed arches, and just above the arches are the twelve Apostles represented in fine fresco style.
In 1925-1926, three immense gothic windows were installed by Daprato Statuary, one in each arm of the transept - “Our Lady of the Rosary” and “Christ Blessing the Children.” The third window, “The Sacred Heart of Jesus in Glory,” sits majestically over the main entrance, behind the organ. In the walls of the nave are thirty small, stain-glassed windows, depicting the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.
Designed to accommodate the acoustics of the building, the Peragallo pipe organ was installed in 1932. In 1936, the magnificent terrazzo floor and marble mosaics were laid, followed by the installation of wood paneling and new choir stalls. The Stations of the Cross were erected in 1937.
The Sacred Heart Chapel serves as a monument to the Sisters and to the community, representing the strength, love, and kindness shown by our founding Sisters.
Location
175 Route 340
Sparkill, NY 10976
Features
Semi-gothic architecture
Stained glass windows
Terrazzo floor
Marble mosaics
Pipe organ
No air conditioning
Capacity
600 people
History of the Sacred Heart Chapel
The Dominican Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary was founded in 1876 to care for destitute women and children in New York City. In 1884, the Sisters came to Rockland County to provide a safe and healthy environment for the children in their care.
Following a devastating fire in 1899 that destroyed their complex of buildings in Sparkill, the Sisters began the process of rebuilding. A temporary chapel was built, but soon became inadequate for the growing number of Sisters and children. The foundation stone for Sacred Heart Chapel was laid in May 1913, and this magnificent building was dedicated in October 1914, providing at last a fitting place for the Sisters and children to worship and to be spiritually nourished.
Over the years, more than 1,100 Dominican Sisters of Sparkill and thousands of children in their care have called Sacred Heart Chapel their spiritual home. We give thanks to God for this sacred place that has served as the spiritual heart of our congregation’s many ministries as they have evolved over the years.
