By KENNY KEANE, Globe staff reporter
Posted May 15, 2003

An act that seemed so selfish initially turned into something much bigger. That is how Rose Gilman described the donation she and her siblings gave to Sacred Heart Church in Sioux City in memory of their parents, Fred and Lillian Gilman, who were life-long members of the parish.

"The decision to do something for mom and dad happened when my mother passed away almost seven years ago," Gilman said. "Then when dad passed away a year ago this past December, it kind of came to a head where we've got to do something about this because they raised seven children, and we're all practicing Catholics and everyone has a Catholic marriage. They were just wonderful parents.

"So we had been looking pretty hard the past year for a piece that would satisfy the family, that we knew mom and dad would like but also that the church would accept that would fit within what they were looking for as far as artwork within the church."

With that in mind, Gilman called upon Father Bruce Lawler, Sacred Heart's pastor, and Father Brian Hughes, in residence at the parish, to assist her in locating such a piece.

While fulfilling his duties as the Sioux City Diocese's vocations director at a seminary in St. Paul, Father Hughes found a replica of a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus.

"He took a picture, sent it to me and asked me what I thought," Gilman said. "I passed it on to the family, and we got a yes. Within a couple weeks after that she was on her way from Italy. It's a Renaissance replica by an Italian artist.

"Mom and dad were members of Sacred Heart for almost 50 years. This is just something that we thought they would really like. Mom had a pretty special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, so we decided that would be a good piece."

The importance of this addition to the parish was made evident on May 8 at Sacred Heart during a special Mass, which included the order for the blessing of an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated by Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo.

During his homily, the bishop asked the congregation, made up almost entirely of Sacred Heart students, to take special notice of the fact that this image of Mary shows her carrying Jesus.

"My favorite statues of the Virgin Mary are always when she's carrying Jesus as a child because that shows why she's so special," he said. "We don't worship her - she's one of us - but we honor her. So today, I am delighted as your bishop to come, first of all just to see you, say Mass for you and with you, but also to bless this beautiful statue."

Following the post-Communion prayer, the bishop prepared those present for the procession to the day chapel of the church - the place of enthronement for the statue of Mary - as he offered a blessing and sprinkled the statue with holy water.

The Litany of Loreto was then sung while the eighth graders and the first Communion class led the procession to the day chapel. Rose pedals were spread on the floor by students at the front of the procession to make way for those carrying the statue of Mary, followed by Bishop DiNardo, Father Hughes and Father Lawler.

When the bishop arrived at the place of enthronement, Father Hughes put the statue in its place, flowers were placed in front of the image and the bishop incensed the statue. With hands outstretched over those present, the bishop concluded the rite with a final blessing.

One of the teachers who helped plan the service, Kris Vondrak, thought it was really moving for the students.

"I think it gave the students an opportunity to know that we have sacramentals that may symbolize something in our faith," said Vondrak, religion teacher for sixth, seventh and eighth graders. "Very often when they go into church they're not going to be able to recognize what everything else is in the church, but each time they see this statue it's going to mean something in their lives."

Eighth grader Brittany Dekker said the service was great, especially for the little kids who look up to the bishop.

"I thought it was really nice that the bishop was able to come to our school to say the Mass," Dekker said. "It makes our church look good as well as the people who donated to our parish. I think it really represents our faith."

As for the response to the donation that Gilman thought was so selfish, she said she is overwhelmed by the outpouring of thanks.

"This beautiful thing is there for what I think were incredibly, beautiful parents, but the parishioners just can't believe that we would do this," she said. "They're so thankful for it."