Progress at Our Lady of Montserrat, Bettys Bay

We have a look at the progress of the rebuilding of the Church in Bettys Bay, Cape Town gutted by fire in 2019.

Parishioner Anthony Harris is making Our Lady of Montserrat’s new tabernacle and main altar from rosewood, which was bought from the proceeds of a generous donation. Embedded in the tabernacle door will be a beautiful mosaic ‘Burning Bush’ made from fragments of stained-glass pieces which were carefully collected from the ruins of the Church fire.

It has been a passion from the start to use natural materials –  this is the reason unplastered clay bricks were chosen to blend in with the magnificent mountain backdrop in Bettys Bay. The structure of the bell tower is now complete, again reusing bricks recycled from the burned-out building as a memento of the tragedy.

Parishioner Ken Winterton is painstakingly restoring the votive candle stand which was badly damaged in the fire. He is also using his talents in creating a lectern from the same rosewood being used by Anthony.

The stained-glass window in the church was created by Colin Cook. It portrays the Our Lady of Montserrat Madonna which will occupy pride of place in the new church. (Pope Leo X111 granted the image of Our Lady of Montserrat a Canonical coronation on 11 September 1881).

A national gardening and landscaping body has undertaken to professionally direct the landscaping of the gardens which will only contain local indigenous flora. This aspect will kick-off on ‘Mandela Day’ Sunday 18 July involving the parishioners.

Our Lady of Montserrat is proud that they can produce such items through the talents of parishioners. However ongoing fund-raising efforts are needed to create a unique church in a unique environment. Funding remains essential and we ask all Catholics to support our efforts and we thank those donors who have generously given to our cause.

Donations using EFT can be deposited as follows,

Banking details (authentication is available to view)

Strand Roman Catholic Church Fund
STANDARD BANK, Helderberg
Account 072457414
Code 033012
Ref. OLM (+ donor name / cell / email address, optional)

Ultimately our Lady of Montserrat church in Bettys Bay will be an ideal venue for weddings and other religious gatherings with unique opportunities for stunning photographs both in the grounds of the church and in the adjoining Harold Porter Botanical Garden

Contact Chair, Our Lady of Montserrat church committee, Chris Cadman