The following comes from an August 19 Valley Catholic article by Liz Sullivan:
Just two days after the Feast Day of the patroness of the Diocese of San Jose, two new statues were blessed and welcomed into the fold.
On August 13, at the 4:30 p.m. Mass, Bishop Patrick J. McGrath blessed the statues of Saint Clare and Saint Joseph with Jesus that were recently installed in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph.
“This afternoon, we commemorate the August feast of our patroness, Saint Clare, and we also honor Saint Joseph as we invoke God’s blessing upon us and, in a very special way this evening, upon these statues, these images of those who have gone before us, but continue to guide us even now,” said the Bishop.
The two newest statues of the Cathedral, made of wood, were designed and sculpted by Gregor Mussner and the artists of Mussner G. Vincenzo Art Studio located in Ortisei, in the Dolomite Mountains of northeastern Italy. The area is known as “the valley of woodcarvers.”
Mussner’s art studio, which was founded in 1892, has received many awards and acknowledgements of excellence. One of these came in 1998 when Pope John Paul II commissioned and blessed a statue of “Mary of Nazareth” created by Gregor Mussner. This statue of a young Mary made a worldwide Marian Pilgrimage through 35 countries in preparation for the great Jubilee of 2000.
“These statues, together with all of the other statues and paintings in our Cathedral Basilica, serve as reminders to us of the lives and faith of these individuals,” said the Bishop. “We look to the saints, not because they are so different from us, but because they are so similar. They are our brothers and sisters. They were not perfect people. Except for Our Lady, they were not without fault. They were indeed much more like us than not.”
I remembering visiting that cathedral the first time and being appalled at the hideous statues of Joseph and Clare. These look much nicer and fit the Italian Renaissance architecture and statuary of St. Joseph’s.
I would love to see these statues, but have heard for many years– that the San Jose Cathedral has no kneelers! That is so deeply discouraging! If the Bishop ever decides to install kneelers, then I would like to go and see these lovely statues, and light a candle, for prayer intentions, hopefully!
Linda Maria, how is there a connection between the new statues and kneelers? It is hard to conceive how the two are related. Please help us understand.
“Please help us understand,” eh, Bob One? Most devout Catholics are very sensitive, and love to humbly adore Our Lord, in His own house of worship! To remove kneelers, is a TRAGEDY!! The rubrics for the New Mass call for Catholics to humbly KNEEL after the “Holy, Holy,” the “Lamb of God,” and when the priest holds up the CONSECRATED Sacred Host, for all to ADORE, reciting, “Lord, I am not worthy…” prior to Communion! PLUS– KNEELING is called for, in the religious devotion of Eucharistic Adoration! And one must GENUFLECT ON TWO KNEES, before the MONSTRANCE!! This cathedral needs HUMILITY, LOVE, and RESPECT FOR GOD!!
I can’t kneel. (Or stand for longer than a few minutes.) Maybe you should count your blessings rather than criticize.
Bob One and Anonymous– a Catholic church is unique, in that Christ is truly present, in the Blessed Sacrament! Why deprive sincere Catholics of kneeling? In our modern Mass, the rubrics call for us to kneel, after the “Holy, Holy,” “Lamb of God,” and to recite the “Lord, I am not worthy…” as the priest holds up the CONSECRATED Sacred Host, for all to ADORE, prior to Communion! Also, we kneel at the devotion of Eucharistic Adoration, according to the rubrics! Why hurt good Catholics, who wish to kneel devoutly, to ADORE OUR LORD?? No– I will not be going to see these pretty new statues, at this cathedral!
Bob One and Anonymous, To KNEEL before GOD, is also a matter of DEEP RESPECT!! You should teach your children and grandchildren, to genuflect before Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, too, when they walk into church! If you cannot genuflect or kneel, due to a medical condition– then, you can still ADORE OUR LORD in your heart!
Why do you need a kneeler to kneel? Where I am from people just kneel on the floor.
Anonymous, many sick people cannot kneel, for medical reasons. They also cannot genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament. Very sad! However, they can honor Christ in their hearts! And as devout Catholics, they should hope others around them would love to humbly kneel, at appropriate times in church, out of LOVE, HUMILITY, and RESPECT for OUR LORD!!
We all should count our blessings, Anonymous. And, Bob One, it astounds me that having been an altar boy as you were, back in the day, that you cannot make a Catholic connection between Saint statues and kneelers.
Bless you, Ann Malley! Thanks!
All three cathedrals in the Bay Area, are so deeply discouraging to me– the ones in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. Very upsetting! Too “modernized,” not fit for Catholic devotions and Mass! I was very unhappy, visiting the Oakland Cathedral not too long ago, for the Holy Year, following instructions for the Indulgence! I can’t stand this place! The Blessed Sacrament chapel just made me want to cry, finally! The San Francisco Cathedral is no better!
Linda Maria, the cathedral for the Diocese of Monterey is nice: recently refurbished and earthquake retrofitted, it has maintained the simplicity and charm of its humble, traditional, Spanish-influenced, Catholic architecture. Look up San Carlos Cathedral, if you are not familiar with it. Fr. Patrick Dooling is an excellent homilist.
Sawyer, thanks for your post! I hope this Cathedral is SAFE from the tragic fires, in the Monterey area! Also, I have wondered about the Santa Rosa Cathedral, of St. Eugene– I have wondered if it has beautiful, traditional, inspiring religious architecture and art.
Thanks for your reply, Sawyer! I appreciate it! I hope the cathedral in Monterey, is SAFE from the terrible forest fires!
Sorry, but the computer goofed-up on me, so I ended up with TWO replies to Sawyer’s post!
These statues really are very beautiful. I like seeing St. Joseph teaching Our Lord carpentry — great role model for boys and young men.
I also ask the intercession of St. Clare sometimes when I have trouble with my computer or television. I have her chaplet bought from EWTN.
All good, however when will there be a permanent Traditional Latin Mass offered there?????????????