A wash of colour greets you at the west entrance of Eltuek Arts Centre.
Eight luminous stained-glass windows once graced the chapel of the former Holy Angels Convent. Abstract and quietly modern, these panels were designed in 1959 by Sister Jean Elizabeth Grant of the Congregation of Notre Dame, who taught art to generations of young women at Holy Angels. Her designs were brought to life in glass by artist Vincent Poggi in Montreal and installed by 1962.
Sister Jean’s work was part of a broader legacy. For more than 130 years, the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame educated girls and young women in Unama’ki, Cape Breton Island—first at the Holy Angels Convent and later at Holy Angels High School. The arts were central to that education. In 1902, in the heart of a working-class industrial city, forty students were studying piano. Alongside math and science, the curriculum included art, music, history, Latin, English, French, and later, business courses. Plays and recitals regularly brought the community together.
When it became clear that New Dawn would purchase and reimagine the former convent, Sister Rita Claire (CND) reached out to Norma Boyd, then Director of Operations, to explore the possibility of bringing the stained-glass windows home. With the support of the design teams at DTAH, Trifos, and Dora Construction, a new space was crafted for the most vibrant and resilient among them.
Abstract and non-traditional, the windows remain meditative and inspirational, filtering light into quiet moments of colour and contemplation. They remind us that art, architecture, and community are forms of spirit and devotion. That beauty, especially in times of transition, can offer continuity, clarity, and a sense of grace.
With gratitude to Sister Simone Abbass, CND, and The Art Room for helping to preserve and share this story.
