A Constructive Summer - the Saint Paul Statue: the First Part

We are now turning a new corner in our great, grand, and glorious series: A CONSTRUCTIVE SUMMER! The fifth installment: the Saint Paul Statue.

You may know that the timeless William Shakespeare (you did read Othello, didn't you?) wrote a story that had a play within a play (you did read Hamlet, didn't you?). Taking some inspiration from that we start a series within a series on A CONSTRUCTIVE SUMMER - THE SAINT PAUL STATUE. I must say that I hope that this series within a series won't a be "a comedy of errors!" Ha, ha! You have read Shakespeare, haven't you?

The statue is well on its way to being installed in our courtyard. The current estimated date of completion is 15 August - the Solemnity of the Assumption of Saint Mary. Leading up to that point, we are adding this series within a series to chronicle the step-by-step preparation and installation of the statue. The above picture is the last photograph taken of our courtyard before the major renovations began.

Firstly, to begin this series I must note that this statue is only possible through the extreme generosity of two very kind and Christian people. The same married couple that gave the Saint Paul Seminary its new crucifix hanging in Saint Mary's Chapel now give us, in the Year of Saint Paul, a statue of the patron saint of our seminary, the great apostle to the gentiles: Saint Paul.

This author has had the wonderful privilege of meeting this couple on no less than three occasions and I must say that they are truly wonderful people who live their Catholic values daily and want to support the Church. I would love to introduce them you all of you, our blog-o-sphere friends, however, I have been informed that this couple has elected to remain anonymous.

We are truly grateful for these and all of our benefactors and especially those friends who pray for us. The Saint Paul Seminary could not be successful without the loving support of those who pray for us. Our support has often been described as those who kindly offer their time, talent, and/or treasure to help us, the seminarians. Those who share their time offer in prayer support to Our Lord with us and for us; many people also work for the seminary in various ways to lend-a-helping-hand. Many share their talent in working to support the seminary at our fundraisers, daily operations, and work on various boards and committees for the seminary. Others share their treasure - our donors and benefactors who financially support the seminary.

We're all a team, this is an adventure, and you are all part of it! In addition to this being a huge thanks to our dear friends who are giving us this statue, I would also like to extend this thank you to all who give their time, talent, and/or treasure to support us, the future priests of the third millennium.

Finally, to "get the ball rolling" on this series within a series, I offer these two photos: the artistic and architectural drawings for the pillar and platform on which the statue will sit in our courtyard, and 2) a picture of the statue - custom made by a sculptor in Italy - being packed to be shipped us to here at the Saint Paul Seminary in the mid-West.

Here begins our series within a series!

Take care, -Jeremy