Story shared by Bill B
I confess I am not a church-goer.
But I went to one about eight years ago while researching its architect, an obscure St. Paulite named Herbert A. Sullwold. And what a church it was! Our Lady of Victory Chapel at St. Catherine University is sui generis.
The 1924 chapel appears to be one of many mundane, Romanesque, basilica-form churches of its era. But the whimsical masonry of the exterior, using brick for exaggerated joinery between limestone blocks, the Guastavino ceiling tile vaults. Inside, the use of polychrome ceramic tile by Los Angeles artist Ernest Batchelder, (perhaps the greatest American tile craftsman of his era), from floor to clerestory made the place sing like a choir.
I went back to the church the other day to reflect on its beauty and renew our acquaintance and found bad news and good. The bad news was the place was locked up tight, and I could not get into the glorious sanctuary; I had to make do with a photo of a photo.
The good news was that the chapel was closed for repair, cleaning, and preservation in anticipation of its 100th birthday in 2024. And, I could still get photos of the exterior, including a couple shots of a fellow pilgrim who walked me out along the long driveway to Cleveland Avenue.
The best news of all is that, when Our Lady reopens next year, it will sparkle inside and out like it was 1924. Don’t miss it.
