HELP SHAPE THE NEXT 180 YEARS
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Thanks to the generosity of Crossroads Circle donors, Old St. Patrick’s will honor our 180th anniversary by adding three saint statues to the empty niches in the balcony. Now, we invite you to help discern which saints should be honored! Join us on Sunday, September 27, from 10:15 AM to 12:00 PM in Fellowship Hall at 625 W. Adams St., following the 9:00 AM Mass. |
FAQs
Will a saint statue be added to the open niche closest to the altar on the “Joseph side” of the church (closest to the choir)?
No: this niche is intentionally left open, to invite all who visit Old St. Patrick’s to picture the saints in their own lives who have not been formally canonized but who live with God in the communion of the saints.
How many saints will be added?
We will be adding three additional saints, one woman and two men. These will fill the open niches in the balcony and bring the total number of saint statues at Old St. Patrick’s to 12 (14 including Mary and St. Joseph), with even numbers of women and men.
How was the “shortlist” decided?
Old St. Patrick’s Leadership Team considered a number of factors, including:
Which saints are currently represented by statues in the church?
On the “Mary” (southern) side of the church:
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (United States)
St. Rose of Lima (Peru)
St. Martin de Porres (Peru)
St. Kateri Tekakwitha (Mohawk Nation / United States / Canada)
St. Miguel Febres Cordero (Ecuador)
On the “Joseph” (northern) side of the church:
St. Ann (Holy Land)
St. Bridget (Ireland)
St. Columbkille (Ireland)
Above the altar: St. Patrick (Ireland)
Who will make the new saint statues?
The statues will be crafted by Daprato Rigali Studios, the same family of artisans whose work has adorned Old St. Patrick's Church for generations. Today, the fifth generation of Daprato Rigali continues this remarkable tradition of sacred craftsmanship. The new statues will be sculpted using the same artistic techniques, architectural detailing, proportions, materials, finishes, and the studio's signature black marble eyes so they appear as though they have always been part of the original church.
What additional work will accompany the commissioning and installation of these new statues?
In conjunction with the installation, the balcony niches will be restored after years of wear, and the inscription for St. Kateri Tekakwitha, which currently says “Blessed,” will be updated to reflect her canonization.
Potential Female Saints (listed alphabetically by first name)
St. Cecilia (Rome) - 3rd century Christian martyr, patron saint of musicians
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (United States) – Mother, widow, became a religious sister following the death of her husband (founder of the Sisters of Charity), educator, first US-born saint
St. Hildegard of Bingen (Germany) - Abbess, liturgical composer, composer of musical plays (wrote the oldest surviving non-liturgical musical drama), theologian, preacher, visionary, botanist, Doctor of the Church
St. Katharine Drexel (United States) – Religious sister (founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament), advocate for racial justice, Native American and African American education, and philanthropy.
St. Teresa of Calcutta (Albania / India) - Founder of the Missionaries of Charity, servant of the poor, sick, and disadvantaged, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
St. Théodore Guérin (United States) - French-born immigrant to the US, educator, founded many schools in Indiana and eastern Illinois, committed to women’s education
Potential Male Saints (listed alphabetically by first name)
Bl. Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago (Puerto Rico) – layperson, catechist for high school students
St. John Henry Newman (England) – theologian, priest, co-patron saint of Catholic education, founder of the Catholic University of Ireland (now University College Dublin), named Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo in 2025, key theological influence on Vatican II (Pope Paul VI called Vatican II “Newman’s hour”), author of the hymn “Lead, Kindly Light”
St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (Mexico) - the first indigenous American canonized; the person to whom Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared; married man
St. Kevin of Glendalough (Ireland) - Irish hermit; best-known story is of a blackbird building her nest in his outstretched hand while he was praying and St Kevin keeping his arm and hand still until her chicks hatched (as recounted in the poem by Seamus Heaney)
St. Oliver Plunkett (Ireland) – martyr, Archbishop of Armagh; convicted of treason in London and executed “for promoting the Roman faith;” patron of peace and reconciliation in Ireland
St. Óscar Romero (El Salvador) – martyr, bishop, known for standing with the poor people of San Salvador during the oppression of the military government of El Salvador
St. Pedro de San José Betancur (Guatemala) – first Central American canonized, dedicated to the poor of Guatemala City: opened a hospital, a shelter, and a school; originated the posadas devotion of following Mary and Joseph as they seek shelter at local homes
Bl. Rutilio Grande (El Salvador) – Jesuit, martyr, dedicated to serving and organizing the poor and marginalized people of El Salvador, killed by a government death squad
No: this niche is intentionally left open, to invite all who visit Old St. Patrick’s to picture the saints in their own lives who have not been formally canonized but who live with God in the communion of the saints.
How many saints will be added?
We will be adding three additional saints, one woman and two men. These will fill the open niches in the balcony and bring the total number of saint statues at Old St. Patrick’s to 12 (14 including Mary and St. Joseph), with even numbers of women and men.
How was the “shortlist” decided?
Old St. Patrick’s Leadership Team considered a number of factors, including:
- Old St. Patrick’s Mission and Vision
- The diversity of the People of God and the Communion of Saints
- The current pattern of saints represented in our church (prioritizing saints of the Americas and Ireland, without being strictly limited to these two regions)
Which saints are currently represented by statues in the church?
On the “Mary” (southern) side of the church:
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (United States)
St. Rose of Lima (Peru)
St. Martin de Porres (Peru)
St. Kateri Tekakwitha (Mohawk Nation / United States / Canada)
St. Miguel Febres Cordero (Ecuador)
On the “Joseph” (northern) side of the church:
St. Ann (Holy Land)
St. Bridget (Ireland)
St. Columbkille (Ireland)
Above the altar: St. Patrick (Ireland)
Who will make the new saint statues?
The statues will be crafted by Daprato Rigali Studios, the same family of artisans whose work has adorned Old St. Patrick's Church for generations. Today, the fifth generation of Daprato Rigali continues this remarkable tradition of sacred craftsmanship. The new statues will be sculpted using the same artistic techniques, architectural detailing, proportions, materials, finishes, and the studio's signature black marble eyes so they appear as though they have always been part of the original church.
What additional work will accompany the commissioning and installation of these new statues?
In conjunction with the installation, the balcony niches will be restored after years of wear, and the inscription for St. Kateri Tekakwitha, which currently says “Blessed,” will be updated to reflect her canonization.
Potential Female Saints (listed alphabetically by first name)
St. Cecilia (Rome) - 3rd century Christian martyr, patron saint of musicians
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (United States) – Mother, widow, became a religious sister following the death of her husband (founder of the Sisters of Charity), educator, first US-born saint
- The Life of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton at FaithND (University of Notre Dame)
- Biography: Elizabeth Ann Seton, National Women’s History Museum
St. Hildegard of Bingen (Germany) - Abbess, liturgical composer, composer of musical plays (wrote the oldest surviving non-liturgical musical drama), theologian, preacher, visionary, botanist, Doctor of the Church
- St. Hildegard of Bingen: A Visionary, from the Sisters of Mercy
- St. Hildegard of Bingen at FaithND (University of Notre Dame)
- Religious Scientists: Abbess St. Hildegard of Bingen OSB (1098-1179), Doctor of the Church at the Vatican Observatory
St. Katharine Drexel (United States) – Religious sister (founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament), advocate for racial justice, Native American and African American education, and philanthropy.
- St. Katharine Drexel Interactive Timeline at Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
- St. Katharine Drexel at FaithND (University of Notre Dame)
- Katharine Drexel at the Vatican Website
St. Teresa of Calcutta (Albania / India) - Founder of the Missionaries of Charity, servant of the poor, sick, and disadvantaged, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
- St. Teresa of Calcutta at FaithND (University of Notre Dame)
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) at the Vatican Website
St. Théodore Guérin (United States) - French-born immigrant to the US, educator, founded many schools in Indiana and eastern Illinois, committed to women’s education
- Saint Mother Theodore Guerin’s Story at the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods
- St. Mother Théodore Guérin at FaithND (University of Notre Dame)
- Théodore Guérin (1798 -1856) at the Vatican Website
Potential Male Saints (listed alphabetically by first name)
Bl. Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago (Puerto Rico) – layperson, catechist for high school students
- American Eucharistic Witnesses: Carlos Manuel Cecilio—A Eucharistic Life at Eucharistic Revival
- Carlos Manuel Cecilio Rodríguez Santiago at American Saints and Causes
St. John Henry Newman (England) – theologian, priest, co-patron saint of Catholic education, founder of the Catholic University of Ireland (now University College Dublin), named Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo in 2025, key theological influence on Vatican II (Pope Paul VI called Vatican II “Newman’s hour”), author of the hymn “Lead, Kindly Light”
- St. John Henry Newman at FaithND (University of Notre Dame)
- “St John Henry Newman Set to Become Newest Doctor of the Church” at Vatican News
St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (Mexico) - the first indigenous American canonized; the person to whom Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared; married man
- St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin at FaithND (University of Notre Dame)
- Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548) at Vatican News
St. Kevin of Glendalough (Ireland) - Irish hermit; best-known story is of a blackbird building her nest in his outstretched hand while he was praying and St Kevin keeping his arm and hand still until her chicks hatched (as recounted in the poem by Seamus Heaney)
- St. Kevin of Glendalough at Dublin Diocese
- “St. Kevin of Glendalough: Inspiring Action through Devotion and Sacrifice” at Laudato Si’ Movement
St. Oliver Plunkett (Ireland) – martyr, Archbishop of Armagh; convicted of treason in London and executed “for promoting the Roman faith;” patron of peace and reconciliation in Ireland
- St. Oliver Plunkett at Armagh Archdiocese
- Bishop Denis Nulty’s homily celebrating St Oliver Plunkett’s birth at Irish Bishops’ Conference
St. Óscar Romero (El Salvador) – martyr, bishop, known for standing with the poor people of San Salvador during the oppression of the military government of El Salvador
- St. Óscar Romero at FaithND (University of Notre Dame)
- “Who Is Saint Oscar Romero?” at Catholic Relief Services
- “St. Oscar Romero, Martyr” at Vatican News
St. Pedro de San José Betancur (Guatemala) – first Central American canonized, dedicated to the poor of Guatemala City: opened a hospital, a shelter, and a school; originated the posadas devotion of following Mary and Joseph as they seek shelter at local homes
- “Pedro de San José Betancur, The Man Who Was Charity” at the Order of Francis Minors’ Website
- St Peter de Betancurt (1626-1667) at the Vatican Website
Bl. Rutilio Grande (El Salvador) – Jesuit, martyr, dedicated to serving and organizing the poor and marginalized people of El Salvador, killed by a government death squad