At the entrance of their lower school existed a Blessed Mother statue that was given to the Sisters some years ago. This beautiful statue was dated and needed some enhancement, but Sister Mary Ellen wanted to incorporate a unique material for the back of the respective statue, as well as something that would show the power and strength of Our Lady, but also with something representative of the history and the mission of the Sisters.

St. Jude Liturgical Arts Studio presented several renderings and, as you can see, the one chosen was a starburst effect (See Photo C). The starburst was selected to create a great background to complement the statue and to show the many different ways Our Lady touches her people and the world. The four quadrants explain the "Caritas" or mission of the Sisters. The lower right quadrant portrays Sisters who settled in both North and South America. The left two quadrants feature the cross and stable, representing the life and death of Our Lord. The upper right quadrant features symbols of the Eucharist, which is an important focus in the daily devotion and teaching ministry of the Sisters.

While the mosaic is a strong material, it needed to complement and tell the story and at the same time, show the continuing power and outreach of the Blessed Mother. This mosaic was executed in cooperation with our Studio in Rome, Italy which fabricated this mosaic entirely by hand. Seven different shades of gold mosaic were chosen and the white gold mosaic behind Our Lady was chosen to show the brightness of the starburst as a backdrop to the statue.

The statue, as well as the marble pedestal which the statue stands on were refurbished. The result was a beautiful complement of materials and this shrine has become a focal point for the school and for the other Sisters in the community (See Photo D).

The photos show the work in progress. Each piece was executed by hand in Rome and then shipped over here, and finally, installed section by section. (Photo D) shows areas being installed; they are put together like a puzzle. The difficulty of the rounded arch and the curved back wall were not a problem for St. Jude Studios due to having templates and models made beforehand. Seeing the rendering and drawing as the "before" and then what the net result is, shows that St. Jude Liturgical Arts Studio offers a seamless operation, from concept, through design, to final installation.

Of course, the statue was refurbished and colors were chosen so as to complement the mosaic and also to show more contemporary features (See Photo B). The tenderness of the face and the shadows of the Madonna were emphasized, as she greets the young children passing by each day. Features such as the exposed Immaculate Heart were lightened so as not to stand out and draw attention.