About 30 people were on hand at the Aug. 22 daily Mass at St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock to witness the blessing of a crucifix and three statues recently donated to the chapel. Chaplains Father Francis Damoah, SVD, and Father George Sanders concelebrated Mass, and Sister Margaret Meisner, SCN, served as lector.
A statue of Mary and the crucifix that now hangs above the altar were donated by Jack Dallas in memory of his wife Julie. A statue of St. Joseph holding the infant Jesus was donated by Judy Scerbo in memory of her husband, Joseph Scerbo Jr. Don Fitts of Little Rock built wooden stands for the two statues. A second statue of Mary, originally donated by the Dallas’ to Little Rock’s Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in 1970 in memory of the Rohtert family, was also donated to the chapel.
Jack Dallas and Judy Scerbo, who both attend Good Counsel, were on hand for the blessing as were Scerbo’s daughter and son-in-law, Gina and John Bilger. Another notable attendee was Bill Durbin of St. Theresa Church in Little Rock, who five years ago began lobbying hospital administrators to allow statuary in the chapel to reinforce its Catholic environment.
“I’m just grateful that this day has finally come to pass,” said Durbin, a fourth-degree member of Knights of Columbus Council 6615.
The statues are the first to grace the inside of the chapel, according to Sister Susan Evelyn, RSM, vice president of mission integration. Prior to their installation, the only visible Catholic images were Stations of the Cross and a processional crucifix in a stand at the entry. Another cross rests in a stand behind the altar and, according to Sister Susan, a statue of Mary is also present in the chapel, but is not visible to the congregation.
“I think it is a blessing that these statues have been donated to us. We’re very grateful to the people who made it possible,” she said. “We have received good feedback from employees who have noticed the new additions.”
