During the
renovation of the Motherhouse, the statues of St. Dominic and St. Catharine,
which had presided at the head of the Golden Stairs 1outside the
Magdalen Chapel for many years, had been "in storage". Unfortunately, they had
been damaged in the process of moving so they needed restoration.
That was the problem. who could do the job? Finally it was decided to check with Jim Cantrell, local artist, and owner of Bardstown Art Gallery 2 He was willing to undertake the project. After examining the statues very carefully, he discovered cracks in them that we did not know existed. He worked painstakingly at the task.
At last, Monday afternoon, April 28, 2003,3 was homecoming day for the statue of St. Catharine. The news spread rapidly and people appeared from all sides as they heard the news. "Catherine is here."
In addition to repairing the cracks in Dominic's statue, it was necessary to make a whole new thumb for the left hand. This meant more work and consequently, more time for restoration. Almost a month after the return of Catherine, Dominic was returned on May 22.4 There was not the same excitement as earlier -- it was a quieter reaction. Nevertheless, that afternoon and the next day, it was not unusual to hear different individuals asking, "Did you know that Dominic is back?" Almost invariably the response was, "I must go up and see it."
The two statues of Ss. Dominic and Catherine are a precious
part of our Dominican St. Catherine heritage. They were sculpted in Munich,
Germany, and were among the many gifts of Fr. Franciso Cubero to the community.
We do not know the exact date of the gift but we do know that Fr. Cubero was
chaplain at St. Catherine's from 1872 until he died here in 1883. His remains
lie in the cemetery close to the Calvary Group. These statues stood to the
right and left of the main altar in the sanctuary of the public chapel in the
valley. They were rescued from the remains of the fire.
Sr. Sheila Buckley, OP
Notes
1. The day before the Feast of St. Catherine.
2. The day before the 2003 Jubilee Weekend.
3. The double flight of stairs from the front hall to Magdalen Chapel on the
second floor. For years because of the highly polished tops one ach step, they
were known as the "Golden Stairs".
4. Bardstown Art Galleries is now housed in what was formerly the home of Sr.
Catherine Roby.