More than 3,000 people have signed a petition calling on the owner of a bar turned house of worship on the grounds of the Maryland Marriott to refrain from serving alcohol at the former high altar.
Catholics are calling on Wye Oak Tavern, a recently opened upscale boutique visitor hotel in Frederick, Maryland, to restore the dignity of a house of worship. The restaurant has a bar around a former high altar flanked by large stained glass windows and statues of kneeling angels.
The restaurant, which opened on Dec. 19, is located in the former chapel of the Visitation Convent and Academy, a Catholic girls' school founded in 1846. The school closed in June 2016 due to low enrollment and was subsequently purchased. It opened in 2017 and will open as a hotel in 2024.
Elissa Koren, an attorney, mother of five, and 2000 Visitation Academy graduate, launched the petition on December 15th. Change.org, It is calling on the owners of the Visitation Hotel to “restore the dignity of the chapel by relocating the bar”.
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Wye Oak Tavern. (OTJ Architects Lance Jacquard)
“Even though there was a chapel, not properly sanctified “For Visitation Girls, Christians, and people of goodwill around the world, this is a clear and painful misuse of space,” the petition reads.
“We, Visitation Academy alumni, residents of Frederick, Maryland, and others who are disappointed in the use of this space, would like to restore its dignity and honor its sacred heritage by removing the altar. We ask that you make the necessary changes as soon as possible, including removing the Tabernacle or relocating the bar to another location,” the petition added.
Koren told Fox News Digital that the petition was delivered to the hotel Thursday morning and a request was made to meet with hotel management, but there was no response.
The Visitation Hotel Notes on the website After its sale in 2017, the site was no longer consecrated.
“The sale provided for the use of the property and the place of worship for non-religious purposes,” the hotel's website states. “Sacred objects have been removed from the chapel. The remaining objects exist only in response to the requests of secular authorities and to preserve the historic character of the building.”
Jim O'Hare, co-developer of the Visitation Hotel, said he and his team paid the archdiocese $2.75 million for the property in 2017, with plans to officially deconsecrate the chapel and return it. He said he had taken all the steps requested by the archdiocese. Holy relics found in the tabernacle and altar.
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“We wanted to be respectful of the chapel's previous use, so we didn't just deconsecrate it,” he said. “We removed the post-Vatican II altar used for masses and sacraments. We donated the Stations of the Cross and the crucifix to the local church. We placed statues of the Virgin Mary and Joseph in the courtyard. And we very deliberately should separate the bar from the historic altar.
Father John Williamson of St. John's Church in Frederick consecrates the chapel. (Derrick Irwee, Visitation Hotel Manager)
But Collen told Fox News Digital that as an alumnus, it was important for him to start the petition to “protect the historic and sacred integrity of the old chapel.”
“Responses to the petition reveal how much anger and pain the developer's decisions have caused many alumni and other members of the community,” she said. “This building, a chapel turned tavern, still retains the look and feel of a Catholic church, with many sacred objects preserved. For this reason, many place the bar directly on the main altar. expresses deep displeasure.”
“The bar could have been located anywhere, but the choice to locate it there shows a clear disregard for the sacred heritage of the space,” she added. “Others have commented that they are not religious but find this very rude. You don't have to be a Christian to think this is very offensive. of people have left comments saying they will avoid Marriott hotels until this problem is fixed.”
Collen noted the Catholic school's 150-year history, including its role as a convent, girls' school and Civil War hospital.
“The most logical solution is to simply move the bar elsewhere,” she says. “However, the owners may also consider working with the local historical society to remove the marble high altar.”
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Left to right: Sister Frances Therese Leary (VHM), Sister Mary Paula Leary (VHM), Mother Marguerite Therese Leary (VHM), Sister Mary Joseph Sander (VHM). (Virginia Leary)
“Top Chef” star and James Beard semifinalist Brian Voltaggio is spearheading Wye Oak Tavern with his brother Michael Voltaggio. “We're here for the drama. Welcome to Wye Oak Tavern” Restaurant posted on his own instagram Two days after the petition was filed.
Koren responded, “Respecting former places of worship is not a drama.” “It's basic courtesy.”
Virginia Leary, who has three aunts who served as nuns for decades at the Visitation Convent and Academy, including one who served as abbess, told Fox News Digital that the chapel was a convent. He said it was central.
As such, the altar bar is personally offensive to her and her family, as it is what the altar bar symbolizes to my aunt and other nuns who dedicated their lives to their faith, community, and the students of the school. She said it was a thing.
“It was all about the understanding of 'respect and honor previous use,'” she said. “That's what I expected until a visiting nun from another convent contacted me and informed me about the petition.”
“How does turning an altar into a bar show honor and respect?” she asked. “If I have to explain why turning an altar into a bar is wrong and offensive, I think I’m missing something.”
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O'Hare is a Catholic himself and said it was very important to him that the design pays homage to the nuns who lived and taught at the Visitation and the girls who studied at the school. Explained.
“I believe we have achieved that,” he said.
“The alumni who started the petition haven't seen our efforts firsthand,” he says. “They are responding to pictures in the local paper. They and anyone else concerned can see for themselves the meticulous work we are doing to reuse the chapel in a respectful manner. We recommend that you check.”
In 2024, the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced the closure of 31 churches in the Baltimore area. O'Hare said if the church cannot be adaptively reused, it will be demolished, without income, and its history and the people who worshiped there will be lost.
“That would be a bad outcome for everyone,” he said. “We have been open for 10 days and thankfully the demand for our restaurants and hotels has been very strong.”
“Our guests have not expressed any concerns about the use of the former chapel,” he added. “In fact, people love hearing the stories that make up the Visitation's history. We tell those stories throughout our properties and on our website.”
Reached for comment, the Archdiocese of Baltimore told FOX News Digital that it sympathizes with those who have expressed concerns about the situation.
Faithful people walk through the Holy Doors of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, after it was opened by Pope Francis on Christmas Eve to mark the beginning of the Catholic 2025 Jubilee. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Richard Griffin, economic development director for the city of Frederick, told Fox News Digital that the city is “delighted” to have the Visitation Hotel, the first hotel in downtown Frederick in 50 years.
“After the Visitation Academy closed nearly 10 years ago, this historic building remained vacant,” he said. “Renovating and adaptively reusing large vacant historic buildings, such as visitor buildings that no longer meet modern building codes for accessibility, safety, and public facilities, requires large We need vision and private investment.”
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“Without their multi-million dollar investment, the building likely would have remained vacant for many years,” he added. “As a result of their investment and vision, thousands of visitors will be able to see the fully restored building, and many will be hosting their business or family events at this facility. The revitalization of historic downtown Frederick and the region will benefit the public by increasing jobs, the tax base, and visitor spending.” ”
