The morning of May 27, Father Phillip Kaim, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Rockford, blessed the parish’s new statue of St. Gabriel the archangel before it was lifted and installed in the niche made for it above the front doors of the new parish addition.

 

Artist Cynthia Hitschler of St. Louis says “strong and masculine” was the primary consideration from the parish team of advisors, “so a classic yet dynamic ‘in motion’ type of pose was essential.”

 

Creating the work to fit the already-constructed niche “was a challenge,” she says, explaining the space had to accommodate the wings and their span “as well as control St. Gabriel’s forward movement.” The statue’s finished material is bronze.

 

Several students from the school joined the group of parishioners gathered for the blessing after the 8:30 a.m. Mass.

 

The donor of the statue requested to be anonymous.