Engaging the Ethnographic Perspective:
"Pilgrims' Statue to Stop in I.C."

 

student response | original article | student bio

Student Response
by Vicki Grube
Iowa City, Iowa

This article, written by Karen Heinselman, describes how a small, non-Hispanic, Catholic church in Iowa City was selected as a stop on the journey of a rare, 9-foot statue of the pregnant Virgin Mary as it moves from Mexico City to Grand Rapids, Michigan. How the parish responds to this honor is included in the article, as well as the story behind the statute’s meaning.

In terms of cultural concerns, the article doesn’t mention why Father Jose Quintana of St. Francis Church in Grand Rapids became interested enough in this particular statue to transport it thousands of miles to his parish. Why is a pregnant Virgin Mary of special interest to him? Does the interest lie because the statue physically depicts Mary pregnant? There are 10, 000 spectators along the way. What is so significant about this statute that it would draw crowds of this size? If this statue is so special, why is it being allowed to leave Mexico City permanently? Wouldn’t its rare spiritual value be something the Mexican people would want to keep forever? How did the Father get permission to take the statue to his Michigan parish, especially since the legend says that the Lady of Guadalupe appeared in 1531 outside Mexico City and said, "build a shrine for me." Who gave Father Quintana permission to take the statute for his parish in Michigan? Did other parishes want the statute too? Did the statute need to be moved? Why now?

Another issue seems to be why this small, non-Hispanic church in Iowa City was chosen as one of the 18 stops. Who made that decision? How is the statue traveling? If it is attracting thousands of spectators, is it riding by small truck or is it shipped from place to place by plane? Is the trip like a pilgrimage with private drivers--the parents of the secretary of the Grand Rapids church are mentioned as escorting the statue--or is it flown to airports? If the statue is valuable, why are two parishioners the main overseers of this impressive statue?

 

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The Daily Iowan -- Iowa City, IA

"Pilgrims' Statue to Stop in I.C."
by Karen Heinselman
Friday, August 30, 2002



A caravan of pilgrims journeying from Mexico City will make camp in Iowa City this afternoon with a 1,000-pound statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Bound for an inner-city church in Grand Rapids, Mich., the 9-foot statue, a rare depiction of the Virgin Mary pregnant, will stop over at St. Wenceslaus Church for the 12th night of a sojourn that has drawn at least 10,000 spectators along the way. Parishioners of St. Wenceslaus, 630 E. Davenport St., expect 800 visitors to attend a bilingual mass at 4:30 p.m. and dinner in honor of the statue, which was blessed in July by Pope John Paul II.

The gilded image, hand-sculpted out of Central and South American wood by an artist in Mexico, brought local villagers to their knees in tears.

Father Mike Phillips of St. Wenceslaus said he is still in awe that his parish is part of the sacred pilgrimage through 18 cities.

"I feel like the innkeeper in the Christmas story," Phillips said. "I was surprised…we're one of the smaller parishes…we aren't a Hispanic parish."

According to legend, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in a vision to the peasant Juan Diego on the outskirts of Mexico City in December 1531, requesting that a temple be built in her honor. To convince the local bishop to grant the request, the Virgin grew roses in the midst of winter and imprinted her image on Diego's cloak.

Bringing the statue to St. Francis Xavier Church in Grand Rapids and establishing a national shrine is like "building a dream," said church secretary Estela Escoba. Father José Quintana of St. Francis began working last summer to commission the statue and build the shrine.

In addition to readying her parish for the Sept. 7 dedication ceremony, which is expected to attract thousands of followers, Escobar has closely tracked the statue's journey with the help of her parents, who are traveling with the icon.

Meanwhile, Phillips and his parishioners are scurrying to prepare St. Wenceslaus for today's festivities, which are open to the public. The church's hours will be extended until midnight to allow visitors to view the statue.

Father John Stetcher of the Newman Catholic Student Center, 104 E. Jefferson St., is one of 20 visiting priests who will attend today's afternoon mass.

"The celebration…is a sign of our unity [as Catholics]," he said.

 

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Student Bio
Vicki Grube is a preschool teacher and a PhD student in Art Education at the University of Iowa.

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