Gov takes lead to honor saint
A commission of prominent Catholic and Italian-Americans will oversee the state’s plans to build a statue of Mother Frances Cabrini, the revered nun at the center of the latest spat between Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio.
Cuomo announced the commission and a hefty price tag of “up to” $750,000 for the statue on Thursday.
“Mother Cabrini was a great New Yorker and a great Italian-American immigrant who did untold good for the people of this state, and there is no doubt she is deserving of a statue in her honor,” the governor said in a statement.
“With the help of this new commission, we are going to get this done to help ensure Mother Cabrini’s legacy of service to her community and those who are less fortunate is remembered for generations to come.”
The announcement comes after de Blasio drew the ire of Italian-Americans and other Catholics when Cabrini wasn’t picked at the end of his administration’s call for recommendations for statues honoring historic women — even though she got the most support.
Actor Chazz Palminteri went so far as to call First Lady Chirlane McCray, who oversaw the initiative, a “racist,” though he later apologized.
Last week, Cuomo promised to build a statue of Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants, even though de Blasio said there was a strong chance the city would pick her in the next round of McCray’s “She Built NYC” program.
De Blasio’s office said it welcomed Cuomo’s efforts.
“Mother Cabrini was an incredible New Yorker, and we applaud the governor for joining us in our commitment to erect statues of women who made this city what is today. We look forward to having a statue of Mother Cabrini here,” spokeswoman Jane Meyer said in a statement.
The new commission is made up of Bishop of Brooklyn Nicholas DiMarzio; John Viola, former head of the National Italian American Foundation; Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, and 16 others.