UPDATE: Last fall we learned that the Archdiocese had chosen St. V as the site for the Homeless Jesus bronze by Timothy Schmalz. Recently St. V received confirmation about the time frame for the installation. We expect to dedicate it during our celebration of the Feast of St. Vincent, Sept. 24. We will likely have one Mass that day. If you would like to be involved in planning the liturgy or festivities, contact Colleen McCahill at cmcahill@stvchurch.org.
As part of his letter to the congregation on the the retirement of our pastor, Archbishop Lori announced that a bronze statue known as “Homeless Jesus,” given to the Archdiocese by an anonymous donor, will be installed on the grounds of St. Vincent. The artist Timothy Schmalz says, this work is “a visual representation of Matthew 25. The sculpture suggests that Christ is with the most marginalized in our society.”
The original sculpture was installed in Toronto in 2013, and now casts of it have been placed around the world including one in Rome in front of the Papal Offices of Charities. However, not all cities have welcomed such a visible reminder of our society’s most vulnerable members.
We at St. Vincent, however, are delighted that the Archbishop chose our parish as the home of this statue in Baltimore. While we have not finalized plans for its placement, we anticipate placing it on the corner of Fayette and Front Streets, outside the fence of our park so that it can be seen by people passing by in cars.
Installation is tentatively scheduled for the fall. Currently the Archdiocese is displaying a resin replica of the statue in the Basilica. That replica will be displayed in parishes throughout the Archdiocese in the coming months. When the Archdiocese returns it to the artist, work will begin on the bronze version to be placed here.
- Baltimore Archdiocese Honors Fr. Richard Lawrence with ‘Homeless Jesus’ Sculpture — Baltimore Fishbowl
- ‘Homeless Jesus’ statue on display in Baltimore Archdiocese during Lent — Catholic Review
- Homeless Jesus finds its place in Baltimore — Baltimore Sun
- ‘Homeless Jesus’ sculpture banned from central London — Mashable