By Tony DeGol
Proclaim!
Light is overcoming darkness at Saint Mary (Immaculate Conception) Parish in Altoona where a beautiful new Marian statue stands proudly on the campus in the spot where vandals destroyed a large statue of the Blessed Mother during Holy Week.
Robert and Ellen Grattan, members of Saint Michael Parish in St. Michael, donated the statue after being stunned by news of the crime.
Robert Grattan’s late father was a maintenance supervisor at the former Mercy Hospital in Altoona.
As the facility changed ownership over the years, Mr. Grattan was instructed to dispose of the religious items.
“My father-in-law could not give up the three statues of Mary, Joseph, and the Sacred Heart,” Ellen Grattan shared. “He brought them home and built a grotto in his back yard, and there they stood for probably 30 years or more.”
When they heard about the vandalism, Ellen Grattan called the parish and offered them the three statues.
“Now we know all three statues have a wonderful, honorable place to be,” she added.
The Saint Mary faithful gathered for Mass on August 15 – the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Following the liturgy, parishioners processed outside where the Administrator of the parish, the Very Reverend Lubomir Strecok, VF, blessed the new statue.
“This image will remind us of the close ties of Mary to Christ and His Church,” Father Strecok stated before the blessing. “She is Christ’s mother, the mother of visible image of the invisible God, but she’s also the image and model of the Church.”
For parishioners, the new statue and the outpouring of support they have received, are signs of good triumphing over evil.
“Everybody has come together, and I do mean everybody,” stressed Debbie Bartley, Director of Religious Education at Saint Mary. “It is because of that outpouring of love that we have a statue sitting there today of our Blessed Mother. To this faith community, it means the world. It was a devastating time during Holy Week when we found out the vandalism happened, but what a bright outcome we have had, and a true showing of love, community, and respect.”
The gift from Robert and Ellen Grattan comes less than a year after Robert’s father passed.
“He loved being Catholic, and he’s probably in his glory,” surmised Ellen. “We promised him we would find good homes for the statues, and we feel that we’ve done that.”
Added Robert: “It’s just a joy to see the statue here at the church, and I’m sure my father would be very pleased.”
The statue of Saint Joseph donated by Robert and Ellen Grattan is now located by an entrance to Saint Mary church. The statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is now in the courtyard of neighboring Sacred Heart Parish in Altoona, which is clustered with Saint Mary.
Editor’s Note: Watch more of this story on Proclaim! TV on September 1 at 10:30 a.m. on WATM ABC 23
[(Top Photo) The Very Reverend Lubomir Strecok, VF, and Father Ashok Kumar, HGN, along with altar servers, stand in front of the new statue. (First Inset Photo) Robert and Ellen Grattan join Father Strecok after the blessing of the statue.]
