The Sacred Heart Chapel stands next to St Patrick’s parish church and was originally built for the Sisters of Mercy convent in Olive Street and was also used by Catholic schools.

A $50,000 facelift has restored the glory of the ornate but simple structure of 1879.

St Patrick’s parish priest Father Joel Wallace said yesterday it would now be a permanent place for people to learn the presence of God and the value and dignity of human life.

Anybody requiring the password to enter the chapel should apply through Father Wallace at the presbytery.

“It is open to everyone as a perpetual adoration centre,” he said.

“The chapel is a sacred place where people can come and pray in the real presence of God.

“It is opened up to people with faith or no faith who are nevertheless open to its possibility.”

Renovations include polished floorboards with a mosaic pattern centrepiece, choir loft and modern lighting.

“It really sets it off with the old and the new together,” Father Wallace said.

“It looks magnificent and we are very happy and grateful to those who contributed financially or with volunteer labour.”

As a convent chapel, it served the needs of the Mercy sisters and their work in education and nursing for about 120 years.

Father Wallace said the chapel contains original stained-glass windows which he believed were shipped from Europe.