In 2018, Pope Francis designated the Monday after Pentecost as a day for Catholics to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as Mother of the Church, a model for all Christians.
And just on the Monday after Pentecost, the 4-foot statue commissioned by the San Diego diocese in her honor arrived from Italy, where it was carved by the artist Alexander Kostner.
Under her mantle, below her right arm, are St. Joseph; Venerable Augustus Tolton, first African American priest in the U.S.; St. Teresa of Calcutta; and St. Pio of Pietrelcina (“Padre Pio”), an Italian Franciscan priest from early 20th century.
Under he mantle, below her left arm, are St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests; Pope St. John Paul II; St. Faustina with Divine Mercy image; and St. José María Robles, a cristero martyr of Mexico.
The children at the front represent the cultural communities designated by U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Asian-Pacific Islander; Euro American; African American, Hispanic and Native American
The inscription on the statue reads “Our Lady, Mother of the Church.”
The statue, originally planned for use in this year’s Pentecost celebration, will be used in future diocesan events.
The above comes from a June 1 story in the Southern Cross, the San Diego diocesan paper.
I agree with all those other saints being included except Faustina. Every Catholic I know who is a Divine Mercy/Faustina cult member is weird. There’s lots of great stuff in Catholicism. Faustina fanatics think that her diary is better than the Gospels, and they have a magical view of the divine mercy devotion, that if you reverence the image you automatically get into heaven. Sorry, no. There’s good reason not to take a lot of Faustina’s “visions” seriously. And the chaplet of divine mercy is boring. For the sake of his sorrowful passion, for the sake of his sorrowful passion, for the sake of his sorrowful passion, for the sake of his sorrowful passion, for the sake of his sorrowful passion… thank goodness private revelations may be ignored by the faithful.
KEViN T. I Respect your insight/opinion.. I have also wondered about this. If it goes rather overboard.
Kevin T. may the Lord enlighten you. I do not know any Faustina fanatics but don’t judge her based on them.
You were doing so well. 45 more and you’re good to go.
PS: An indulgence is nothing to sneeze at, let alone a plenary one.
PPS: Never heard of Divine Mercy Sunday?