Icon of Our Lady of Maryknoll

Commissioned for Maryknoll's Centenary, this icon was "written" by Fr. William Hart McNichols and depicts the Blessed Mother teaching the Child Jesus to bless the world, which he holds in his hand. His foot is extended outward as if Our Lord is eager to be about his "Father's business." As per instructions, McNichols depicted Jesus less European and more like the children Maryknollers encounter everyday in mission overseas.

Providentially, the icon arrived at Maryknoll today, on the feast of St. Michael and the other archangels. The Mass today celebrated the Maryknoll Brothers and was the unofficial kick-off for Centenary celebrations here at the Center. The icon is scheduled to be consecrated on October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

This icon is a gift to Maryknoll from Fr. Gerry Hammond, Fr. Ed Szendrey and me, in honor of our deceased family members.

No lift

We are now into the fourth week with the F-Wing elevator (the oldest and the newest) out-of-order. Go to find out, during renovations 15 years ago the car and shaft were replaced but the original motor, built ca. 1930, was kept. At first this seemed a wise move since the newest elevator on M-Wing seemed to have all kinds of problems, adding credence to the argument that things were just made better back in the old days. Well, now the motor of the F-Wing elevator has finally given up the ghost and there are no spare parts to be had. The replacement motor is supposed to be in place and running by week's end.

The beautiful statue of Our Lady of Maryknoll, gift of the Huber and Huvane families, that graces the Spellman Room and is visible from the Rotunda, has finally gotten the proper lighting (thanks to Mr. Tom Dunstan of physical plant) to focus on the statue without those unsightly eye-shadows that made Mary & Jesus look like Zorro's family, if not Rocky Raccoon's.

Speaking of OLOM, I have received the contract from iconographer Father William Hart McNichol's for a hand "written" 18" x 24" 23-karat gold leaf and acrylic traditional icon of Our Lady of Maryknoll in time for our opening liturgy on January 25, 2011. I am prepared to pay the entire cost myself, in which case it will be given in memory of the deceased members of the Veneroso family. However, I am more than willing to share the honor and the expense with fellow Maryknollers if anyone cares to donate. I do not want to be so crass as to reveal the entire cost, but if five other Maryknoller's each contributed $1,000 we could all share equally in this project. You do the math. Personally I figure the singular event of Maryknoll's 100th anniversary deserves nothing less.

Fr. John McAuley is in town, ostensibly to get his new visa that will allow him to teach in China. Tomorrow evening he will gather for dinner with whatever former Walsh Building cohorts remain. Unlike with previous meals, he no longer requires a food taster. I'll let you know if this was a wise move.

Who moved my OLOM?

NOT TO GET OUR BLOOMERS ALL IN A TWIST, but that beautiful, hand-carved statue of Our Lady of Maryknoll that has graced the Spellman Room for a little over a month has been moved—temporarily—to make room for a wonderful exhibit of the natural sculptures by Sr. Marie Pierre Semler, M.M.

Ms. Nancy Kleppel, center coordinator, made the request to move the statue on behalf of the exhibit organizers. She made the request to me, who really have no authority to say where the statue goes, except I was the one who lobbied for six months to put it in its present location and I guess top the list of people who would theoretically get upset if it were moved.

While I thought it added a dignified focal point to the exhibit itself, the organizers felt otherwise. The clincher for their argument, offered by Nancy, was: that's why it was put on casters, to allow mobility if the Spellman Room were needed for activities. So a quick appraisal of alternative fung shui showed the space inside the main chapel, on the other side of the folding panels to the Spellman Room and facing the Eucharistic Chapel, to be the least disruptive yet still dignified place of temporary exile.

And while I am grousing, why is it taking four weeks to get the extra spotlight installed to illuminate said statue of OLOM in its now vacated location? Fr. Ernie Lukaschek put in the request in early October. Ms. Nancy Kleppel said she would look into it with Physical Plant. That might be a fair trade for allowing the statue to be moved. Let's hope when the exhibit finishes in two weeks Our Lady of Maryknoll will be re-transported to its properly spot-lit location in the Spellman Room.

Blessing OLOM

THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY was marked by the dedication of the statue of Our Lady of Maryknoll in the Spellman Room following the 11:30 Mass. Because of the MEP National Assembly, more people attended Mass than usual and about 50 people participated in the prayer service.

Pastoral Coordinator Fr. Ernie Lukaschek led the five-minute service that included recitation of the Memorare, a litany to Our Lady of Maryknoll and singing the Salve Regina.

Once again many thanks to Fr. Jim Huvane for donating this beautiful statue. It was gratifying that many people agreed it looks 100 X better here than tucked in the corner of the rotunda behind a pillar and a Ladies Room sign. Plus, the dedication ceremony underscored that this isn't just another piece of furniture.

In other news, here in the east strong winds today knocked down trees and powerlines leaving some people in southern Westchester without power for a few hours. This brings up yesterday's Food Committee meeting where we took up a recommendation by the Crisis Committee that we store one month's worth of canned, nonperishable food in a safe location. Look around the dining room and imagine being closed in with these guys along with unlimited cans of Spam for 30 days. Suddenly, a nuclear meltdown at Indian Point doesn't sound so bad.

Our Lady of Maryknoll

A BEAUTIFUL, larger than life-size, hand-carved, painted, gilded, wood statue of Our Lady of Maryknoll—donated though the generosity of Father Jim Huvane—is in absolutely the wrong place. Shunted to one corner of the rotunda, Our Lady must bear the indignities of not only being behind a pillar, but often have two or more signs in front of her announcing wakes, funerals, visiting groups or speakers or simply directing visitors to the Ladies' Room. Even two wall cherubs cannot justify, much less beautify, this spot.

The obvious place for such a work of art and object of devotion—not to mention symbol of Maryknoll—is in the Spellman Room, in front of the curtain and right under the existing spotlight. She would then dominate the entire room while having the backdrop and prominence she deserves. Our Lady of Maryknoll would greet people as they entered our chapels. By placing the wooden pedestal on casters, the statue could be rolled behind the curtain whenever the room is filled with photos or other exhibits, or even placed to the side for the rare occasion when we open the curtain to expand attendance at Mass.

In addition, this would create a nice "trifecta" of BVM statues as you enter the main door and stand in the middle of the rotunda: in front of you, the white marble statue of Our Lady of Grace would be in her lighted niche; to the left at the end of the Council corridor a natural, stained wood statue of Our Lady would balance OLOM in the Spellman room on the right.

Fr. Clyde Phillips, out-going Regional Superior, Fr. John Kaserow, liturgy coordinator, Fr. Ernie Lukaschek, pastoral coordinator, and Ms. Nancy Kleppel, Center coordinator, all agree that would be a better spot for the statue. But after several months, there she still stands shunted to the side in the corner of the rotunda.

You don't need a course in Fung Shui to know Our Lady of Maryknoll should be moved but at this point, no one in the Region—especially me—has the stomach for another petition.