By Jessie Manahan
Contributing Writer
As its 50th anniversary reunion gift, the class of 1962 is restoring the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary that usually sits in the circle between the Hickey Dining Hall and the Shay and Loughlin dorms, according to Martin Blind, major gifts officer.
This project includes the restoration of the sandstone pedestal and commemorative plaques, the cleaning of the large brick island and adding flower planters on the main brick island, Blind said.
One of the members from the class of 1962, Norbert Bennett, stated that they chose the project for their 50th reunion class gift for three reasons: its unique history here at St. Bonaventure University, the special position the Blessed Mother has in the Catholic faith and the significant deterioration of the statue.
“The statue is in disarray and is in need of historic preservation and restoration,” Bennett said.
Crandall’s Memorials, a local company, has been restoring the statue. The timeline for the project states that restoration should be completed by May 1 and that there will be a rededication ceremony that same day, Blind said.
Since its arrival from Italy in 1887, the statue has been a part of the St. Bonaventure campus, according to the archives page on the statue. It was originally located above the entrance of the former chapel at the university, which was the first building complex on campus.
When the chapel burnt down in 1930, the statue survived and was relocated to its current location. When the statue was moved, it was built upon a pedestal that used stone from the remnants of the destroyed chapel.
The pedestal includes two quotations from the Old Testament which read, “The ground on which you stand is hallowed land,” and “The Lord Gave 1855. The Lord Took Away 1930. Blessed be the name of the Lord,” according to the same page.
University Advancement plans to invite the class of 1962 back for this special event. They have decided to dedicate the statue to Sister Margret Carney, O.S.F., S.T.D., university president, for the great leadership she has provided to all of the alumni.
