Diocesan News

Dedication of New Statues Signals Fresh Start for Our Lady of Mercy Church

December 9, 2021
By
Father Frank Schwarz (right), pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Church, said “true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary will always, always lead to Jesus.” At left is Deacon Dean Dobbins. (Photo: Paula Katinas)

FOREST HILLS — Joe Elias attends Mass daily at Our Lady of Mercy Church, but he had a special reason for being there on the morning of Dec. 8. 

Not only was it the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, but it was the day a new statue of the Blessed Mother was dedicated outside the church.

“This is a very meaningful day — very emotional,” said Elias. He joined other parishioners watching as Father Frank Schwarz, the pastor, sprinkled holy water on the statue of the Virgin Mary. Father Schwarz also blessed a new statue of St. Therese, the Little Flower, following the 9 a.m. Mass on Wednesday. 

The two sculptures, which stand on the lawn on each side of the church’s main entrance on Kessel Street, replaced statues that were destroyed by a vandal in July. The vandal, who was later arrested, entered church property during the early morning hours of July 17, dragged the Virgin Mary and St. Therese figures, one at a time, more than 150 feet down the street. He repeatedly slammed them into the ground, causing them to break. 

Parishioners were heartbroken, especially since the statues had been there for 84 years — since the founding of the church. Adding to the heartbreak: The statues were damaged beyond repair.

But the clergy and parishioners refused to let an ugly act of vandalism defeat them. “You can’t tear us down!” Elias said.

In July, the statues were smashed to bits by a vandal who dragged them more than 150 feet.

Parishioners set up a GoFundMe page, raised $25,000, and commissioned the statues to be built. The new fiberglass figures were crafted in a studio in Italy and shipped to the U.S. on Virgin Atlantic Airways flights. 

A portion of the funds was used to upgrade the church’s security system. Thirty cameras are now trained on the statutes at all times.

“We’re like Fort Knox, but in a good way,” said Deacon Dean Dobbins. Still, he doesn’t take any chances. “I watch every night on camera and make sure they’re still there.”

For lifelong parishioner Maryjane O’Brien, the new sculptures offer the hope of renewal. “It’s good to know good can come out of bad. This really brought the community together,” she said. “These statues matter to people. They’re a great source of consolation.”

According to O’Brien, some parishioners had become so accustomed over the decades to seeing the statues outside the church, they would still stop in front of the church, stand in front of the empty pedestals and bless themselves.

Father Schwarz said the dedication, coming on such a significant feast day, marked a fresh start for the church. 

“I hope that after months of not having any statues out there — after they were destroyed and almost two years of COVID-19 — that this signifies the beginning of something new and that people will start coming back to the church,” he said.

In his homily, he called the Blessed Mother “a powerful intercessor on our behalf,” and he said he plans to establish a novena to her as Our Lady of Perpetual Help starting in the New Year.  The novena will take place every Wednesday after the 9 a.m. Mass.