Chapel of the Holy Spirit and the Wiener Organ Stephen Schnurr [Adapted from an essay prepared for the 2012 OHS Atlas] The Chapel of the Holy Spirit, located on the campus of Divine Word International, commonly referred to as “Techny,” is the fourth chapel dedicated under this name to be located on this site. In November 1899, five members of the Divine Word Missionaries took possession of the Russell farm located near Shermerville (now known as Northbrook). A small chapel with a small belfry was hastily built. ... In 1909, the Missionaries established the first seminary in the United States that trained priests exclusively for foreign missionary work. By 1917, plans were under way to build the present magnificent Romanesque chapel. Herman Joseph Gaul (1869–1949), who designed numerous Catholic churches in Chicago, was appointed architect. Ground was broken on August 22, 1918, and the chapel was first occupied on June 23, 1923. It measures 177 feet in length, with a nave width of 67 feet, and the transept 89 feet. A gallery runs the entire perimeter of the chapel. The nave ceiling height is approximately four stories. The Missionaries were instrumental in construction of the chapel and many of its furnishings. Much of the decorative metal work and all the chandeliers and sconces were forged in their shops. They were also involved in carpentry, plastering, and electrical work—much of which was not completed until 1930. The chapel remained unpainted until 1948—the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first Missionaries. ... The organ presently in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit is equally as fascinating as the chapel itself. The four-manual organ was built by Wiener Pipe Organs of Chicago, between 1923 and 1927. A portion of the organ was completed in time for the 1923 dedication. Some 15 metal ranks in the organ were salvaged from Austin’s Opus 65 in the the Bush Temple of Music, a conservatory in Chicago. ... Most of the remaining metal pipework was made by Meyer, Schopp, and Dennison. Some metal pipework was made by the Wieners themselves. The remainder of the instrument, including the wooden pipes, was primarily made on site by the Wiener firm and members of the Divine Word community. As an article in the December 1983 issue of The Stopt Diapason states: The Wieners used the seminary’s carpentry shop to machine parts, cut, drill, and sand wood, make chests, reservoirs, the case, and console; make action parts, primaries, pneumatics, and relays, and all wood pipes. (Even switches in the organ have wood frames instead of being all metal.) . . . The Wieners never made any profit on the Techny organ; the only payment they received was a wage for the hours when they were working on site at Techny. Bills for pipework and materials sent to the Wieners were turned over to and paid by Divine Word. They built the organ without having a contract; there was just a mutual oral agreement. The Wieners came to be the builders of the organ by an evolved friendship with several of the brothers. The antiphonal organ was finished about 1930, and is known to contain some pipework from the organ of the former chapel. There are two consoles, one of four manuals that controls the gallery and antiphonal divisions, and a two-manual console near the antiphonal that controls only that division. Each console has the standard compass of 61 notes for the manuals and 32 notes for the pedal. Pedalboards are concave and radiating. The combination action for the sanctuary console is located within the right side panel, with pegs for each stop and piston, which are pushed in or out to set. The combination action of the main console is operated in a similar fashion. ... Divine Word International continues to be the active motherhouse of the Divine Word Missionaries. In addition, religious pilgrims visit the campus daily for Mass and other activities. Retreats and conferences are gatherings for visitors from around the country. Most of the farmland that once surrounded the motherhouse has now been developed for residential and other uses.