FIL-CAN...

From page 14 but also the biggest milestone. The project garnered a lot of interest from the public and I’m happy that I’ve gained the support of so many strangers who are as equally proud of my work as I am.

PE: Are there any statues or creation of yours that are as special as St. Bernadette’s?

JM: A previous work that I consider closely related to this project is a restoration I did for St. Francois Xavier Parish, west of Winnipeg. Several of their statues were vandalized and broken, but I was able to restore one, the statue of Our Lady of Grace. The community in that town was happy to have it back because I believe it was also a donation of the Manitoba Metís Federation over a century ago, so it had historical significance as well.

PE: What are your expectations for the future of this sculpture?

JM: The statue was enshrined on Sunday, April 23rd, where I hope it will rest permanently without ever being stolen. Given the amount of attention by the public and the media towards the project, the shrine caretakers and I are hoping that it will attract an increased number of visitors to this very special place. It is a sanctuary for people from all walks of life and any religion who seek a sense of serenity and healing. ***

A ceremony will be held on May 31st at St. Malo Shrine and Grotto in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and to bless the new statue of St. Bernadette.

Bernadette Soubirous also known as Bernadette of Lourdes, was a French nun who lived in the 1800s. As a young teenager, she had a series of visions of the Virgin Mary in the Massabielle grotto, ultimately leading to the founding of the shrine of Lourdes, France.

St. Bernadette is the patron saint of illness and poverty.

By Lucille Nolasco-Garrido