On Sunday 30 April 2016, a Thanksgiving Service was held on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the ANZAC Memorial Chapel in Duntroon, Canberra.
The Chapel is unusual in that it contains two chapels under the one roof, one for Catholic celebrations and one for Anglican and other Protestant denominations. It serves as a religions centre for both the Royal Military College (RMC) and the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) and has a rich history. Catholic Masses are held on Sunday at 9.30am and 5.00pm, Fr Damien Ellis, RMC-D Catholic Chaplain, invites all military personnel, their families and other Catholics in the region to join them.
As part of the Thanksgiving Service, two new artworks commissioned for the Chapel on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary were unveiled. The image of “The Conversion of St Paul” was gifted to the Anglican/Protestant Chapel and was unveiled by BRIG Mark Brewer, CSC and Bar – COMD RMC-A. It was dedicated by Rev Neil Mathieson – RMC-D Anglican Chaplain and Rev David Harding – RMC-D Protestant Chaplain. The icon of “Mary Help of Christians” was gifted to the Catholic Chapel. It was unveiled by LTCOL Micah Batt, DSM, CO RMC-D and blessed by Fr Damien Ellis – RMC-D Catholic Chaplain. The artist, Alan Pomeroy, was there for the service.
It was a lovely service bringing together the Chaplains from each denomination, held in the central Narthex to include everyone. In the background was the lamp in the Narthex called the Deployment Lamp that is always lit while there are military personnel deployed overseas.
