Challenge

The church of The Sisters of St. Benedict in Ferdinand, Indiana, is the heart of the Monastery and affectionately known as the “Castle on the Hill,” due to its location overlooking the Town of Ferdinand.

The Monestery Immaculate Conception Church, built between 1915 and 1924, features an eighty-seven foot-high dome and 89 angels in the statuary, plaster moldings and stained glass. Time and the elements took their toll on the church. In addition to extensive ceiling repair and decorative painting, the church also required updates to its electrical and mechanical systems.

Solution

After a three-year fundraising campaign, the plans for the restoration moved forward. The falling canvas ceiling was replaced with new drywall and acoustical material. The crumbling moisture-damaged plaster was repaired and new air handling and temperature control systems were installed. Other updates included new marble flooring, pew refinishing, a new sound system and a Eucharistic Chapel. The color scheme can be described as “simple elegance,” highlighting the existing plaster ornament with subtle tones, soft glazes and selected touches of gold leaf. The church, once again, serves the Sisters as a special place in which to carry out the Benedictine tradition of community life, prayer, hospitality and service to others.