Jesus the Homeless statue to be housed in the Vatican

[eridani]

"Jesus the Homeless" statue, rejected by churches in NYC & Toronto, will be housed in Vatican after Francis blessing

https://twitter.com/smkeyes/status/412603663589601280/photo/1

[countryjake]

1. I'd bet that there's a church in Seattle that would have liked that statue.

Now I'm wondering what the story is on this. If it was over here to begin with, why is the Vatican getting it now? Did the pope hear about it and request it be brought there? Or, was it created in Italy?

[gvstn]

2. Yes, I'm looking for the article I read the other day.

This one: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/homeless-jesus-statue-coming-to-chicago/ says Catholic Charities of Chicago had accepted and wanted it back a few weeks.

Pope Francis had blessed it when he visited whichever city it was in when he visited there. After the blessing, it became more coveted. I'm not sure why it is ending up in the Vatican. It was a Canadian artist who created it.

EDIT:
It was a thread here at DU: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4193109 from that article it sounds like perhaps it had made it to Rome and was blessed there but I can't be sure as the detail are not clearly stated.

[TexasProgresive]

6. Don't know why but perhaps after rejection by Toronto and New York

and acceptance by Francis, Schmalz thought this was the fitting place for it to reside. After all it was his to bestow.

The rejections by the archdioceses of New York and Toronto with the acceptance by the Vatican may give this work of art the maximum impact. And I'll bet there are some long and red faces in the chanceries.

Personally I think that copies ought to be outside the NYSE and Chicago board of trade. And a few other places.

The large bronze sculpture was inspired by an encounter the artist had with a homeless person on the streets of Toronto several years ago, an experience that brought new insight into the Gospel passage about caring for the hungry, the thirsty, the naked and the strangers in our midst.Just before the audience, Philippa Hitchen sat down with Timothy Schmalz to find out more about his work, his faith and his gift for the Pope….
Listen:
"...what the Gospels and what Christianity provides is an endless well of creative possibilities.....what I try to do is come up with new perspectives on these eternal truths...."
I went to Toronto...and saw people, so many of them, lying on the street...I know I used to be used to that but being away and coming back, it was a shock....
http://www.news.va/en/news/homeless-jesus-sculpture-presented-to-pope-francis

[jtuck004]

3. Oh, hell, they could come to Spokane and see the real deal. Homeless guy sleeping under the table in

the median out the front door of Our Lady of the Hordes (Lord's? maybe? just caught it briefly) Cathedral during Midnight Mass,not 300 feet from where the preacher was exhorting everyone to take action and implement Pope Francis' teaching. That statue looked pretty close, except it's missing the black plastic. That little blanket would never have worked in the temps last night. I wished him a good holiday. It was dark, and pretty cold, so most people had their heads down, and I don't think they saw him wrapped up under there.

Somebody should have given the Pope a magic marker and had him sign the statue. They could have sold it on ebay for enough to build 3 shelters.

[TexasProgresive]

4. Lourdes

Lourdes (pronounced "lourde" or "lourdz&quot is a small town in the Hautes-Pyrénées département in southwest France. It is the largest Catholic pilgrimage destination in France and one of the most popular Catholic shrines in the world. Lourdes lies 497 miles south of Paris in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains. The small town of only 17,000 inhabitants receives more than 5 million pilgrims and tourists each year thanks to visions of the Virgin Mary reported by a young girl named Bernadette in 1858. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes incorporates 52 hectares of property and 22 places of worship, including a sacred grotto, two basilicas, and a variety of buildings for pilgrims and the sick. Outside the sanctuary, many pilgrims also visit the home of the young visionary, St. Bernadette.
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/france/lourdes

[jtuck004]

5. Thank you for that. My wife corrected me later - but I was still thinking about the irony of telling

people they needed to care for others while a guy who, in my brief encounter, (and I've met more than a few) didn't seem to be under the influence in any particular way, seemed clear-eyed, coherent, maybe late 20's early 30s, was sleeping on the concrete outside, in the cold.

He may not have wanted the help, or the strings that often come with it, but it would have been nice to have a card table with some coffee and a place where they wouldn't freeze. Lots of empty, unused spaces being heated around there, with no people in them.

Again, however, thank you.

[TexasProgresive]

7. They do that, don't they

Wives correcting their husbands. Mine does me at least once each day. The wisdom that comes with age has taught me to receive it graciously. Not so in the past, you know, ranting and raving about how I am right. Of course sometimes I am right and she is wrong but again wisdom prevails and I think, "This is not important, let it go."

[jtuck004]

9. "They do that, don't they" < Yeah, and thank goodness they do.

That "let it go" part is hard to adopt, but, yeah, age begins to help with that

[mopinko]

8. i'l be interested to see where in the vatican.

lots of art at the vatican that hasn't been seen in centuries. will this go in the vaults, or on prominent display?

[rug]

10. Reminds me of this.

http://ncronline.org/news/peace-justice/catholic-workers-rely-grace-guts-luck-80-year-old-mission