Palmer Trinity School

Photo Credit: Claudia Storper The Consecration of Trinity Chapel A F TER Y E A RS OF A NTICIPATION, Trinity Chapel at Palmer Trinity School is finally here—and we could not be more excited. It's been a long time since the Diocese of Southeast Florida added a new place of worship to its roster of churches, giving us reason to celebrate its momentous arrival with the Bishop himself, Right Reverend Peter Eaton, who consecrated Trinity Chapel and celebrated the first eucharist with our own Reverend Dr. Mary Ellen Cassini. During a time when so many in church leadership are forced to close their place of worship, this historic occasion served as a sign of hope. Taking every health and safety protocol necessitated by the pandemic, this consecration mass featured Head of School Patrick Roberts, Chairman of the Board Hugo Mantilla and special guests Ms. Tina Lane, Megan '21 and Jake '25 Keller, Reverend Jennie Lou Reid and Benjamin Reid, one of the Vice Chancellors of the diocese. "The building of this chapel is the fruit of a long-cherished dream and the efforts of many," Dr. Cassini said at the service. "Standing as a symbol of the school's Episcopal identity, Trinity Chapel has been made possible by the generosity of benefactors who had the vision of a sacred place for the community to gather." Of course, at the heart of this new addition is the school's Episcopal identity, which is dedicated to the Holy Trinity and recognizes that places have the capacity to mediate the holiness, beauty and presence of God. In that context, this building also has elements that are unique to the history and passion of the Palmer Trinity School community. For one, Trinity Chapel honors the hard work and dedication of the first Head of School of Trinity Episcopal School, the Reverend Dr. Edward "Ned" Dougherty, to recognize his commitment to the school in its early years. In that same vein, an icon of the Hebrew Testament Trinity, often called the "Hospitality of Abraham," will be placed in the chapel. "This chapel, which sits at the heart of our school campus, reminds us that God is present in the midst of us all the time, and that the life of the soul is as crucial as the life of the mind, the life of the heart, and the life of the body," Mantilla said to the crowd. As students played musical contributions, attendees prayed, and our community welcomed the addition of a new Episcopal landmark in South Florida, Mr. Roberts looked to the future. "This sacred space will be a place where our Alumni and others can celebrate weddings, anniversaries, baptisms, and other special events in their lives," he said. May Trinity Chapel be a place of joy, and reverence, for us all. palmertrinity.org 30 EVENTS

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