MOVING STATUES
From time to time in the press we get reports of statues, usually in Catholic churches, moving or weeping or bleeding. Often there is an all too easy explanation, like the leak in the rusty pipe just above the statue of our Lady making her appear to cry drops of blood! Well, we are going to have our own moving statues, only this time manual labour will be required. Yes, a little change around in the church. It seems that many of you are not too enamoured by the art work at the front (sanctuary end) of the church. Consequently there will be some rearrangement' of the furniture. But what? St Clare will go the day Chapel and the crucifixion scene to near the west door. These walls will then be plastered and painted to provide a reflective surface for light. In these two places the statues of our Lord and our Lady, presently on the south wall, will be positioned, and new stands for votive candles will be placed in front of them. The present candle stands seem to be regarded as an eye sore and dangerous to boot. The space vacated by the statue of our Lady will house the statue of the Risen Lord in front of which will be placed the baptismal font where His risen life is received. Eventually, about the statues arches will be formed to detract from the angularity of the building and to add something of the feminine.
But what of the space vacated by the removal of the statue of the Risen Christ? Just what so many have asked for over these last months: the restoration of the Blessed Sacrament in a tabernacle in the middle of the sanctuary. The church teaches that the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament should not be on the altar (table) where the Mass is celebrated and may be placed in a chapel specially set aside for Eucharistic Worship. As the vast majority of weekly Masses are celebrated in the chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is, this negates the spirit of the teaching. So we shall place Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament just where he should be, at the very heart of the church. Of course, this will transform the main church once again into shrine, a place of devotion, a house of the living God. Perhaps once again we shall unlock the church so that people can spend time not just with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, but also light a candle at the shrines seeking the intercession of our Blessed Lady and the saints.