‘Old gold and precious stones’
Old gold and precious stones
By Vicki-Ann Downing ’21G
Seventy-five years ago, alumni and friends of the college were asked to donate “old gold and precious stones” to create a monstrance, a vessel to hold the consecrated host during Eucharistic adoration and benediction at the new War Memorial Grotto.
Those attending the Grotto dedication on May 9, 1948, read this message in the program: “Nearly every family has tucked away old jewelry, watches, rings, and trinkets. The old gold can be melted and the jewels reset. Just as the tiny grains of wheat symbolize our unity in the Body of Christ, so, too, these disparate valuables can symbolize our charity and devotion as they are fused into a fitting dwelling place for the Eucharistic King.”
The call was answered. One year later, in May 1949, the new monstrance — “made possible by the generous contribution of old rings, watches, and trinkets by friends of Providence College,” The Cowl said — was presented to the college chaplain, Rev. Charles McKenna, O.P. It stood 45.5 inches tall, weighed 17 pounds, and was valued at $10,000 — $135,000 in today’s dollars.
The Grotto, which served as the site for outdoor Masses and commencements for 50 years, was disassembled and redesigned in 1999 when construction began for St. Dominic Chapel. But the monstrance was not lost — it is stored in the chapel and still used for special occasions, especially for off-campus retreats, said College Chaplain Simon Teller, O.P.
Michelle Chiles, head of PC Archives and Special Collections, discovered references to the jewelry campaign while gathering information for the 25th anniversary of the chapel. While familiar with the monstrance, Father Simon was unaware that it had been crowd-sourced with donations from alumni and friends.
“At a time when we’re accustomed to ordering prefabricated goods online without ever handling cash, much less providing the raw materials, this beautiful monstrance stands as a tangible testimony to the dedication of the Providence College community,” said associate chaplain Rev. Gregory Santy, O.P. “It’s a visible and enduring reminder that none of the buildings or monuments enjoyed daily by students, faculty, and staff would exist without the generosity of Friars across the generations.”
