NORWOOD — With the arrival of Lent this week, parishioners and guests of St. Gabriel’s Roman Catholic Church will have the opportunity to visit a special statue of Jesus Christ that may stir viewers’ emotions and help to remind them of Christ’s immense suffering.
“Scourged Christ” will be displayed at St. Gabriel Church, 233 Mohawk Ave., Norwood, from Ash Wednesday, March 2, until Good Friday, April 15. The church is open daily, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The life-sized plaster statue depicts a suffering Jesus Christ, prior to crucifixion, with realistic-looking peaceful eyes and fallen flesh at his feet, sculpted open wounds, painted bloodied gashes, and a real crown of thorns.
“We invite both parishioners and guests to make a Lenten visit and place their intentions near the statue,” said Rev. John Hand, Parochial administrator of St. Gabriel Parish. “There will be candles to light and prayer cards. Everyone is welcome.”
Since 1932, when the statue was made in Chicago by an unknown artist, thousands of people have come from all over to gaze upon this realistic-looking representation of the Passion of Jesus, that often acts as a catalyst for quiet mediation and prayer, particularly during Lent.
The statue, which dramatically illustrates the Lord’s very human suffering in the context of his eternal sacrifice, was on display during Lent at the former St. Mary’s of Czestochowa Church in Southwest Philadelphia from 1936 until the church closed in 2003. The statue has always been controversial. Some say it’s too graphic and gruesome, while others insist the compelling image is fitting during the Holy Season of Lent, a solemn time for reflection and repentance, when Christians ponder Christ’s suffering and death on the cross.
“We hope having the statue here during Lent will bring people closer to God, as they are visually reminded of Jesus Christ’s intense suffering,” Hand said. “The statue puts the image right in our faces so we can’t escape being reminded of what happened to our lord on Good Friday.”
When St. Mary’s closed, former parishioner Jack Polito asked the Archdiocese of Philadelphia if he could be “the keeper” of the sacred statue and recreate it as a “pilgrim” statue, to make the rounds in local parishes during Lent and at other special liturgical times of the year. Growing up in St. Mary’s Parish, Polito witnessed how important and meaningful the sacred statue was to people. Almost two decades later and Polito, now a member of Our Lady of Peace Parish, is still keeping his word. Although he gets requests from parishes around the world, the Ridley Township resident continues to display the controversial, special statue locally in the tri-state area, impacting and enhancing Christians’ Lenten experience. This year, St. Gabriel’s is fortunate to host the traveling statue throughout the entire Lenten Season, and will display the visiting sculpture in front of the church’s St. Joseph statue.
“I am happy to do this for the parishioners and visitors of St. Gabriel’s Church,” Hand said. “The people here have welcomed me with open arms. Together, we have put new life into this parish.”
Hand, who previously served as parochial vicar of St. Cyprian Parish in Philadelphia, was assigned as parochial administrator of St. Gabriel’s in November 2020. Fr. Hand celebrates Mass daily at 8 a.m., as well as, 4:30 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. and noon on Sunday. Despite the pandemic, in-person Mass attendance has almost doubled from 250 in 2020 to 450 currently. He also hears confessions, 6 p.m. every Thursday and 3-4 p.m. Saturdays, and Evening Prayer and Benediction, 7 p.m. Thursdays. Stations of The Cross will be held every Friday at 7 p.m. during Lent. Hand says St. Gabriel was the only church in the area that offered Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
In just a year and a half, Hand has led parishioners to institute a variety of new programs and events.
“They nicknamed me ‘Father Huckster’ and ‘Father Fundraiser,” Hand laughs. “In just the past year, we’ve had two ten-week clubs, a Lottery Board, a Bundt cake sale, an Eagles Survival pool, a Super Bowl grid pool, a Christmas Bazaar, spaghetti dinner, a pig roast, a murder mystery and more, including a Christmas Eve and Super Bowl Stromboli fundraiser for which my brother Bob and I made dozens of homemade strombolis.”
“Father came into our parish like a hurricane,” smiled Bernie Hines of Brookhaven. “We needed it here. He has really stirred things up, and I think that’s bringing people back to our parish.”
Parishioner Pat Weldon of Tinicum shook her head in agreement.
“There’s life again here after a lull,” Weldon explained. “I came over to St. Gabe’s in 2014 after my parish, St. Margaret Mary in Essington, closed. We felt there was always a separation between the people from my former parish and St. Gabe’s parishioners. But now we feel unified. We are all united and the parish is vibrant again!”
The parish is currently in the midst of a Capt’n Chucky Crab Cake sale for Ash Wednesday and a 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament block pool. The March Madness pool gives participants chances to win throughout the entire series of games, from March 13 to April 4, including the National Championship game. All proceeds benefit the parish.
All the fundraising has paid off. The parish was able to supplement funds from the archdiocese to get a much-needed new parking lot and they’re in the process of getting a brand new state-of-the-art kitchen in the church basement where social events take place.
St. Gabriel’s Parish is looking forward to more upcoming events in the next few weeks, including a bus trip to Sight and Sound Theatre in Lancaster to see “David,” a brunch with the Easter Bunny and Egg Hunt, and a St. Patrick’s Day Parish Party on March 5. Hand says he will also host a July Crab Fest this summer. He hopes to get the parish CYO, which had to take a break due to the pandemic, off the ground for spring and begin the monthly CYO dances again. The parish will also take a “spiritual bus trip” to some Philadelphia shrines in April.
“Father has lifted everyone up,” commented parishioner Cass Womelsdorf of Norwood, who has been a St. Gabriel’s parishioner for 52 years. “We’re always looking to him to see what’s next, what he has up his sleeve. It has been nice to have healthy leadership.”
“All of these events couldn’t happen, if it weren’t for our wonderful volunteers,” Hand said. “We have great parishioners here and they’re very generous with their time and talent.”
Hand recently held an appreciation dinner and 40 volunteers attended. Parishioners don’t volunteer just to fundraise. They upkeep and beautify the church, help other parishioners, and insure the parish is interactive with socials and in other ways. They also do community outreach. Parishioners recently held a warm coat drive for St. Ignatius Parish in Philadelphia. Every week, volunteers make 400 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and bring them to Catholic Social Services at Our Lady of Loreto Parish in Philadelphia to distribute to the hungry.
“I leave the church open all day long, because I want people to come in to visit, to pray,” Hand said. “Young people and families are finding their way back to God in our church. We are a growing parish and there’s much happening spiritually and socially here. We’re accomplishing all of this together as a parish — just like my name — hand-in-hand!”
For more information on “Scourged Christ” pilgrim statue, visit http://passionofjesus.com. For more information on St. Gabriel Parish, visit http://www.stgabrielnorwood.org or http://Facebook.com/StGabes or call 610-586-1225.
https://www.delcotimes.com/2022/02/27/st-gabriels-parish-invites-community-to-visit-scourged-christ-statue-during-lent/
2022-02-27 11:44:01Z
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