Sister Mary Horn, a well-known New Zealand painter who still lives at Teschemakers in one of the property's houses, is appalled that some items have already been removed.
That was done under an agreement with the Dominican Sisters, who retained ownership of chattels in the chapel after it was sold in 2000 to businessman Dr Hirotomo Ochi, who died in 2005.
The property has been bought by a North Otago couple, John and Joy Murdoch, who take possession on June 1 and are sympathetic to the importance of the chapel and its contents.
Items were removed for the Holy Name Church in Dunedin and other Otago churches, while the altar's removal is subject to an Environment Court challenge.
Sister Horn has so far refrained from entering the debate, which has caused distress among former Teschemakers pupils and some people in the church.
However, a letter from Sister Horn to the Holy Name Parish council, passed anonymously to the Otago Daily Times this week, makes her views clear.
Comments accompanying the letter indicated parishioners had never been consulted about removal of the items and altar, especially when it had been estimated it could cost $70,000 to $80,000, along with legal costs, for Environment Court action.
"I have been opposed to the removal of anything unless the chapel was going to be sold to someone who would not honour it," Sr Mary said in the letter.
That was originally a possibility, and the Dominican Sisters, who ran the school, made some contingency plans.
"However, they got out of hand and things have happened which cannot be reversed. Our sisters became divided over the issue," Sr Mary said.
She was devastated when she went into the chapel at Easter weekend and found items had been removed.
If they were wanted and would be well used by the Holy Name Parish, Sr Mary could agree. But they were "totally unsuited" to the Holy Name Parish, which was of a different era and architectural genre.
If any were not used, they should be returned to the chapel, with North Otago people in the process of negotiating with the new owners to have a covenant on the chapel and a trust set up to preserve it.
Father Mark Chamberlain, of Holy Name Parish, is understood to be overseas and was unavailable to comment yesterday.
Sr Mary said when contacted by the Otago Daily Times the letter was private and she did not want to comment further.
