Blessed Sacrament dedicates new Holy Family statue

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
June 2, 2005

In a dedication service held on the Feast of the Body and Blood, also known as Corpus Christi, the diocesan administrator was on hand at Blessed Sacrament Church in Sioux City to bless the parish's new Holy Family Statue.

"Today, we praise you for the gifts of the spirit bestowed upon the Holy Family in whose honor we dedicate this statue. May we, as the parish of Blessed Sacrament, follow in their footsteps - keeping their example of love and dedication for each other," prayed Msgr. Roger Augustine, administrator of the Diocese of Sioux City, during the dedication service. "May we proclaim his Gospel by word and deed and shouldering our process daily extending ourselves to others in your service."

The statue was a gift of parishioner Maurine Carlson, in honor of her late husband John and her sister Helen.

"I had the misfortune of losing a beloved sister and husband. I loved them so dearly, I wanted their names to always be remembered," she said.

Carlson stressed the fact that the parish pastor, Father Merlin Schrad, was instrumental in selecting the statue. She extended gratitude for the time he put into the project.

"The detail is just exquisite. The workmanship is unbelievable," she said. "I couldn't be more pleased."

Father Schrad, pastor, pointed out that he sought the expertise of Father Brian Hughes to ensure that the statue tie into the architecture of the church.

According to Jim Golden, volunteer development director and a parish director, the statue is brass and sits on a granite base that was made in Minnesota. Audino Construction Company installed the base. The statue was ordered through a catalog from Fitzgibbons and then it was made to order by a studio in Italy.

The statue, which is visible from the street and lighted at night, is to serve as a constant reminder of the importance of individual families as well as the extended parish family.

"We want to emphasize that we are here as a family. We are not just brick and mortar - but the people are what make the parish what it is," said Father Schrad. "As people come in to church, we want to constantly remind them that there are human beings that make up this parish and we want to pray for them - those who have gone before us, our benefactors like Maurine and the ones that are here right now."

Lin Sly, a member of the parish development council, pointed out for the last week parishioners had the option to hang a picture of their family on the parish family tree located inside the church. At every Mass this last weekend, a blessing was extended over all families. Parishioners also received a prayer card that included a photo of the Holy Family Statue and the Blessing for Families.

Father Schad encouraged families to recite the blessing at home - remembering their own families as well as their larger parish family.

The statue is located in the courtyard between the side entrance of the church and the parish center and offices. Golden mentioned that when the landscaping and sidewalk between the church and parish center was done about four years ago, a statue was not even a thought.

"It is an ideal location for the statue. It is almost like everything was made just for that statue," noted Golden.

Directly above the Holy Family statue is the landmark tower of Blessed Sacrament. The eight openings on the tower, called traceries, are being enclosed with glass windows. The windows were made possible thanks to a $10,000 grant the parish received from the Missouri River Historical Development Inc. A representative of MRHD, Mark Monson, was on hand for the dedication of the statue. Father Schrad welcomed and introduced Monson to the crowd that gathered for the blessing service.

Golden said the windows would help maintain the integrity of the tower.

"The windows will help keep out the elements which very much contributed to the destruction of it and caused us to refurbish the tower," he said.

Sly pointed out that they opted to hold the dedication service for the statue in May to tie into the month of Mary. She added that it was particularly nice that it fell on the Feast of the Corpus Christi, the namesake of the parish - Blessed Sacrament.

Carlson mentioned that they might look into purchasing a Victorian-style iron bench to place near the statue. She has had a number of people tell her that they use the statue and courtyard as a place of meditation.