Present day interior of Our Mother of Sorrows Chapel, Providence Manor, Kingston.
BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST
The history of the Archdiocese of Kingston and that of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul is very much intertwined. Not only did the Sisters contribute to and help shape the Catholic impact in the diocese, but the Bishops also had an impact on the history of the congregation. As one of many examples, let’s look at Our Mother of Sorrows Chapel at Providence Manor.
The construction of Our Mother of Sorrows Chapel at the House of Providence in Kingston was very much the vision of Archbishop Cleary. He told Mother Mary Scholastica, General Superior of the Sisters of Providence in June 1895 that he wanted to erect a church building for the House of Providence on Ordnance Street, however, the General Council of the Sisters of Providence were unwilling to accept his suggestion and voted it down. That didn’t seem to deter Archbishop Cleary, because on April 25th 1896, he met Architect Joseph Connolly at the House of Providence to discuss the site and plan of the new chapel. In October 1896, the Sisters discussed the tenders for erection of the new chapel, but felt that even the lowest bid was more than the community could afford at that time.
Discussions must have continued because by May 1897 the Sisters, Joseph Connolly and the Archbishop were all on the same page and construction was given the go ahead. Mother Mary Edward, the first General Superior of the congregation, was instrumental in raising funds for the construction and was involved in the building and decoration process. The church was blessed and the first mass celebrated on October 18, 1898. Our Mother of Sorrows Chapel is now considered an architectural gem in Kingston and is used regularly by the residents of Providence Manor.
