STM Reflection

 

STM Fast Facts: 1930s-1940s

80th-STM-Logo-finalSTM Fast Facts
1930s – 1940s
 

  1. October 9, 1938: The Solemn Blessing of the Chapel takes place.
  2. The Solemn Blessing of the Chapel was originally set for September 26, 1938. It was postponed due to The Great New England Hurricane.
  3. Designed by Douglas Orr '19 B.F.A. '27 M.F.A., the Chapel was created to be both a focal point of Catholic identity on campus as well as a welcoming space for Protestants.
  4. Father Riggs '10 signs the Yale Religious Ministries Faith Statement.
  5. Catholic students are 11.77% of the Yale student body.

    7. October, 29 1939: The Chapel choir begins.
    8. 1940: Timothy the Cat joins the Chapel family.
    9. September 19, 1941: The Chapel's "The Tree of Jesse" mosaic by Elsa Schmid is blessed by Fr. Riggs in the presence of its donor, Helen McMahon Brady Cutting. The mosaic was given in memory of her late husband, James Cox Brady '04.
    10. 1941: The flowers for Easter Sunday cost the Chapel $23.00.
    11. 1943: The Chapel heating system is converted from oil to coal due to World War II rationing.
    12. April 26, 1943: Fr. Riggs dies of a heart attack. Father Edwin O'Brien '31 is appointed the second Catholic Chaplain at Yale.
    13. 1944: Bruce Publishing of Milwaukee, WI, publishes Riggs's Saving Angel: The Truth about Joan of Arc and the Church.
    14. The Military Ordinate of New York names Fr. O'Brien an Auxiliary Captain.  O'Brien regularly says Mass for servicemen stationed in New Haven during World War II.
    15. 1946: Fr. O'Brien joins the Religious Ministry to Yale University. The organization was formed by Sidney Lovett and was comprised of Protestant, Catholic and Jewish religious leaders on campus.
    16. Catholic students are 14.67% of the Yale student body.

'STM Fast Facts: 1930-1940' is part of the '80 for 80 Series' in celebration of STM's 80th Anniversary.  Join us at the 80th Anniversary Celebration by following the link: https://stm.yale.edu/80-years

Sarah Woodford '10 M.Div.

Sarah Woodford '10 M.Div.

Sarah is the Director of The Vincent Library at STM.