At St Joseph’s Convent in Regents Park, the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia come together in their chapel at least four times a day for communal meditation and prayer, personal devotion and vocational discernment.
It is no wonder, then, that the Dominican Sisters regard the convent chapel as a significant part of their lives, and of the faith in Sydney and the country.
“The chapel is the heart of our home, and is the heart of our life,” said Sr Cecilia Joseph Dulik OP, superior of the Sydney convent.
“It’s an important place for many young women. In this sense, this chapel is contributing to the renewal of religious life in Australia.”
But despite its current spiritual importance and legacy as a former chapel for Josephite and Presentation communities, the chapel’s physical integrity was no longer reflective of its purpose.
They enlisted local builder Christian Abou-Rizk to rejuvenate the ageing structure.
“The chapel was built in two stages around 60 years ago and was designed to reflect the architectural trends of the time,” said Sr Cecilia.
“We wanted the beautify the chapel so that it would reflect the purpose for which it is being used today.”
Christian expressed a similar desire.
“Obviously there were some improvements structurally that were required, but ultimately it was about the beautification of the space,” he said.
“It was about taking what was already a deeply spiritual and important space and renovating it such that one could be compelled to engage in personal prayer and devotion, whether you were a religious sister or a member of the general public.”
Viewing the chapel now, one cannot help but immerse themselves in the brightness and simplicity of the area.
“One of the things we looked at was the low ceilings in particular,” Christian said.
“We wanted to create an area that was quite spacious and almost free in a sense. The chapel becomes a place where you can not only pray individually and devote yourself to Christ in that moment, but also physically open.”
Beyond the liturgical guidelines that he follows when engaging and renovating sacred spaces like the chapel, including the positioning of the tabernacle on the altar and the placement of iconography throughout the chapel, Christian said he always felt a desire to engage with and pray to Christ while renovating, particularly when encountering any obstacles during the build. Playing recordings of Gregorian chant while he worked helped him “engage with the space even more,” he said.
“One of the main challenges was trying to select different colours and materials that would help us achieve not just this openness but also making the space as inviting as possible for anyone to come in, admire the space, and engage in their devotion,” he added.
“And while that was achieved [through wall-mounted plants and additional lighting], whenever something was bothering me, I would just pray, take stock of the space and pause to reflect on what I was doing.”
According to Sr Susanna Edmunds OP, Christian’s work showcases how one can engage with Christ through their occupation.
“When it comes to renovating a sacred space like the chapel, you want the craftsmen to become theologians and mystics,” she said.
“They are seeking physical means to express the space’s significance but also reflecting on its symbolic and sacramental significance.”
Sr Mariam Assaf OP believes that the renovations will help the community, as well as the public, to understand the primacy of Christ in our lives, and bring more people to the chapel for worship and devotion.
“In all our convents, the chapel is designed to be the most beautiful place in the house,” she said.
“These chapel renovations will renew our desire to keep Jesus first in our life and reignite the joy of abiding with God in our prayer.”
While Christian doesn’t believe he himself will learn the significance of the renovation during his time on earth – “That’s part of doing God’s work” – Sr Cecilia says that the renovations have exceeded her goals.
“Our goal was to make it a beautiful place for religious women, as well as visitors to our convent, to pray deeply, to rest in Jesus’ presence,” she says.