The Grotto’s Chapel of Mary Undergoes Historic Renovation

It was way back in 1953 when the venerable Chapel of Mary, centerpiece of The Grotto, Portland’s renown Catholic Shrine, was built. Now, thanks to what Communications Director Jane Tokito affirms are “generous donations from many donors over the course of several decades,” the first major renovation in the chapel’s 68-year history is underway.

Grotto Executive Director Chris Blanchard is overseeing the interior renovation, working directly with General Contractor Steve Schommer of Schommer and Sons, a Portland company often associated with high-profile construction projects since its founding in 1937.

One of the first orders of business was to remove the old wood pews that had served so well over the years. But time had taken its toll. “The pews were beyond repair—although we were able to repurpose some of them–and will be replaced with new wood pews,” says Tokito.

Removal of the pews set the stage for the erection of a scaffolding system which enabled access to the chapel’s lofty walls and ceiling by art restoration workers, painters, and other tradespeople.

One of the most sensitive aspects of the job involved cleaning/restoring the beautiful murals painted on the chapel walls, and reaching to the ceiling in a large alcove over the altar. For this delicate work, Nina Olsson, of Nina Olsson Art Conservation LLC, was awarded the contract.

“In 2019, the Heritage Conservation Group (HCG) conducted an assessment of the condition of the murals and performed physical testing in order to develop a conservation proposal for the murals, created in 1955-56 by Spanish American painter Jose Rodrigo de Soto,” says Olsson.

“The murals had never been treated, and surface grime, waterborne stains and soot deposition had accumulated and significantly obscured and darkened the original color palette.”

Olsson describes a process by which dry sponges were used to remove loose portions of the soot, followed by the use of “buffered aqueous solutions with chelating agents targeted at uncoupling the carbon soot that had bonded to the surface over time.”

Peeled areas on the murals caused by water infiltration were prepped and artistically repainted to recapture the dramatic imagery of Soto’s original work.

For over 68 years, a sky-blue paint covered the expanses of wall and ceiling surfaces in the chapel. For a change from cool to warm, on Olsson’s recommendation, project designers and decision makers opted for Benjamin Moore’s “Pompeii.” Painters from painting contractor Siegner & Company applied a flat finish to the ceiling, and an eggshell finish to the walls.

A recent update on The Grotto website showed workers installing new flooring. For information about the flooring, we reached out to Forbo Flooring Sales Account Executive Cherie McNabb. “The flooring [installed in the chapel] is Forbo Marmoleum® Modular, a homogeneous floorcovering made from natural ingredients, including linseed oil, rosin binders, wood flour, limestone and dry pigments. The ingredients are mixed and calendared (a heat-pressurized system involving rollers) onto a polyester backing to ensure optimum dimensional stability.”

New lighting to brighten the chapel’s considerable interior is included in the plan, and renovations to an antiquated sound system will help bring the music and message of this breathtaking house of worship into the 21^st century.

While mentioning that though the project may not be entirely complete—new sound system speakers are on order—Blanchard says that the newly-restored chapel will be unveiled on Sunday, April 11^th. Regular Sunday Mass times are 8 am, 10 am, and 12 pm. Visitors are welcome, but sign-up is required for Masses as existing COVID-19 protocols are still in effect.
“I believe that this renovation will inspire people to greater faith,” says Blanchard.

“I pray more people will come to the sanctuary to worship and find what we all find here: a closer relationship with God.”