February 5, 2010
Dear HGP Families,
I am writing to inform you of the school’s progress in dealing with the heartbreaking fire in the Chapel of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, now more than a month ago. Now that the formal investigation is complete and we await the final report on the responsibility of the damages, we are able to begin a more extensive clean up.
Over the past several weeks, we have regularly met with architects, engineers and construction experts to plan for the repair phase in coordination with our already planned restoration of the Chapel in honor of its 100th anniversary. While it is still too early to determine when the Chapel will be available to our community, regrettably the Chapel will most likely be closed for the remainder of the academic year.
I am pleased to report, however, that Daily Mass is regularly celebrated in our small chapel in Spiritan Hall. Other masses that our community celebrates, including all-school masses and the Incoming Freshmen Mass are being held in the Firebird Fieldhouse while the monthly Mothers’ Guild Mass is being held in the Library and special liturgies for the Mother-Son Dance and Father-Son Communion Breakfast will be celebrated in the cafeteria. While these are not ideal solutions, the important thing is that we gather together as people of faith to celebrate all that God does and continues to do for us, asking for God’s continued blessings and grace as we continue on this journey.
My goal is to rebuild our Chapel not just as it was before, but to use this opportunity to recommit ourselves to our mission and to make sure that when the doors reopen, we can all walk in and be impressed by not only the repairs, but also with the same brilliant Spirit that has welcomed people for more than one hundred years.
We are confident that insurance will provide the resources to repair the fire damages. Our planned restoration, the chapel areas not affected by the fire, will obviously not be included in any insurance settlement. In the coming weeks and months, I will ask our community to come together in support of the full restoration effort. Your support will be vital to achieve our vision to fully renew and improve the “heart and soul” of Holy Ghost Prep.
I never thought that this is how we would celebrate the centennial of our beautiful Chapel, but I am learning what it means that “God writes straight with crooked lines.” I remain grateful for all that you do and continue to do for Holy Ghost and remain confident that soon, a fire will once again burn in the chapel, but it will be seen in the hearts of the Holy Ghost Prep community that came together to rebuild our special place.
With One Heart,
Fr. Jeffrey Duaime, C.S.Sp.
President
