Sacred art finds new homes at Catholic entities

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
As of Sept. 1, MercyOne was officially acquired and is now known as UnityPoint Health - St. Luke’s – Downtown, according to the UnityPoint Health webpage. The MercyOne signage was removed or covered from the grounds and buildings. It signified the end of a 135-year era of Catholic hospitals in Sioux City.
  
The religious statuary in front of the medical center’s main entrance on Fifth Street has been removed as well as the marble statue in the lobby. However, leadership of the two health care entities ensured that the religious artwork would be placed at Catholic entities in the Sioux City area at the time of the acquisition.
 
Finding new homes
Terry Hegarty, executive director for Trinity Heights Queen of Peace Shrine in Sioux City, said he was contacted by MercyOne prior to the acquisition regarding finding suitable new “homes” for the artwork.
 
Now gracing the entryway by the current chapel in the main building is the life-sized marble Sacred Heart of Jesus statue.
 “This was in the old St. Joseph Hospital that was across the street (from MercyOne),” he said, pointing out the metal plaque on the bottom front of the pedestal – Presented to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital by Medical Staff, December 25, 1952. “When they closed that hospital, it went into storage for about 10 years. It was then donated to Trinity Heights.” 

He said the statue was at the shrine for a short time when it was sent to (then) Mercy Medical Center on loan until the recent acquisition.Dapratao Studios, Pietrasanta, Italy, is crudely engraved on the bottom right of the Sacred Heart statue pedestal, Hegarty pointed out. They hoped to learn more about the beautiful statue that was returned to the shrine.
 
“We tried to contact the studio in Italy to get some history on it but the studio closed and the records were lost in a fire,” Hegarty said.
 
Trinity Heights also received a carved wall hanging by artist Conrad Moroder called Christ of all Nations. Moroder was commissioned to create the statues at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in 1998 for the renovation.
 
Christ of All Nations depicts Jesus with 11 people of various ethnicities on the carving. It is displayed right inside the main entrance of the building where all visitors can view it.

 

Christ of all Nations by Conrad Moroder

“We put it here in the entryway, it’s a perfect spot,” the director said, noting the shrine welcomes visitors from around the world. 

As the shrine features several pieces from sculptor Dale Lamphere including the massive Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary sculptures, Hegarty was pleased to also welcome the two-dimensional statue of Christ with a child, mounted on granite, crafted by Lamphere. It was placed outdoors behind the Marian Center at the shrine, near picnic tables.
 
“When the kids visit here, they can see it on the patio,” the director said, noting that groups of Catholic school students often visit the shrine during field trips.
 
Moving the statues
 
Transferring the heavy statues from the downtown medical center to Trinity Heights wasn’t a simple task due to the weight and the care needed to transport the artwork.
 
“No one would touch them, they didn’t have the equipment,” Hegarty explained.

 

Moving the two-dimensional statue mounted on granite to the patio area.

Eventually a firm from North Carolina that specializes in moving heavy statues was found and hired for the project and used a subcontractor from Storm Lake. The group used a flatbed truck and a crane to move the precious artwork.
 
An older marble Marian statue that was also at the entrance to the former MercyOne main doors was packaged and delivered to Bishop Heelan High School. Dr. John Flanery, president of the Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools system said the school plans to place the statue at the high school in the near future, but it remains in storage at this time.
 
Watching the Sacred Heart statue moving from the lift to the main building, Hegarty said he was concerned it wouldn’t fit through the doorway with the outstretched arms of Jesus. Despite the tight space, the statue was safely placed inside the building.
 
Trinity Heights also received a 42-inch tall Fontanini Nativity set from the medical center that will be displayed closer to the Christmas season.
 
Art for Holy Spirit 
Some of the sacred wall hangings have found a new home in Sioux City. Deb Poss, director of development and marketing for Holy Spirit Retirement Home, said she was asked to select some sacred artwork.
 
Poss shared that wall hangings of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Guadalupe were selected for the newly-remodeled chapel as well as a crucifix. Other wall hangings will be displayed around the Holy Spirit buildings

 “We are thrilled and excited to have them come to our campus to continue to capture and celebrate our Catholic identity here at Holy Spirit,” she said. 

Sacred items once housed at MercyOne including liturgical items in the chapel were removed and cataloged by the diocesan Office of Worship.
 
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