The following comes from the San Bernadino diocese online Inland Catholic Byte. 

About 30 statues of the Blessed Mother, some rich in history and all collected by a Phelan resident, have been recently donated to St. Peter and St. Paul Parish in Alta Loma. The parish held a dedication ceremony on May 19 to unveil the installation of the statues in the parish’s social hall.

Thomas Siegars, the donor, contacted the parish over a year ago expressing his intention to donate his collection of statues to the parish. He was planning to move and was no longer able to house the statues. He met St. Peter and St. Paul Pastor, Father Patrick Kirsch while the priest served at Blessed Junipero Serra parish in Phelan and decided to offer the statues to St. Peter and St. Paul.

“You can’t imagine how long I have been waiting for this,” Siegars said. “I certainly love Mary and hope this can bring more people back to Mary.”

Siegars traveled all over the world and brought home statues of Mary from his travels. Each statue has a history and a story behind it that he wanted to share with the greater community. He wished that the collection remain together so that they could be used for education on Marian devotion….

The permanent display at the parish, titled “The Many Faces of Mary,” will provide a place where people may admire the artwork and reflect over Mary’s role in the Church. …

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READER COMMENTS

Posted Tuesday, June 19, 2012 7:17 AM By MacDonald
What a nice thing to read about!!! A lovely contrast to the blasphemous “art” we sometimes hear of in the newspapers and on television, where the “artists” seem hell-bent on being disrespectful and sacrilegious.

Posted Wednesday, June 20, 2012 2:42 AM By antoni
Pure in body is to keep chastity. Pure in soul is not to commit sin. (Words of Our Lady of Fatima – 1917).

Posted Wednesday, June 20, 2012 1:49 PM By MacDonald
I wonder if they have any images of Our Lady of Malibu, or of Saint Mary of the Cataract? (Now, before the usual gang gets all in a tizzy, these are REAL parishes…I’ll have you know…)

Posted Wednesday, June 20, 2012 4:57 PM By Dana
What a precious gift . I would dearly love to see the display! I hope those of you who are within driving distance are able to do so! Thank you Mr. Siegars for this beautiful and generous donation. I’m sure Our Lady is most pleased, for if we’re looking and thinking about her, it’s like looking through a magnifying glass and seeing a clearer, larger picture of Jesus Christ in truth and beauty.

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2012 1:42 PM By lorna
I love Mary our Mother she is so quiet and her beauty shines all over her. Mary loves all her children dearly and to see all these beautiful statues will be a blessing. Thank you Mr Siegars