St. Adalbert’s Pieta needs protection and belongs at St. Paul
A replica of Michelangelo’s famed statue of the grieving Virgin Mary, the Pieta, sits alone and vulnerable in the shuttered remains of St. Adalbert Catholic Church. The statue, as much a piece of history of the Pilsen neighborhood as it is part of the patrimony of the unified St. Paul Catholic Church, must be protected. Therefore, the Pieta must be moved a mile southwest to St. Paul so former parishioners of St. Adalbert and all residents of Pilsen can kneel in front of the Virgin Mary and pray.
Everyone loves a David versus Goliath story, and the agitators are quick to frame this as a fight against the archdiocese. But in reality, it’s a David versus David story. They’re fighting their neighbors, the people of St. Paul Parish, many whose families have been part of the Pilsen fabric from its early days. We parishioners of St. Adalbert had to face the reality of our beloved parish closing and just want to complete the job of unification. It was our parish’s decision, and ours alone, to move the Pieta.
St. Adalbert closed in 2019 due to chronically low attendance and millions of dollars in maintenance costs. Mine was among the more than 55 families, or 150 of the 200 active parishioners, who moved to St. Paul as the parishes united. For many of these families, my own included, St. Adalbert was a profound loss. Some parishioners had been there for decades, and we all still talk and share beautiful memories of the church.
I came to St. Adalbert in 2013, admittedly drawn by the beautiful building. It reminded me of basilicas in Spain and Rome. But what kept me coming back was that I felt embraced by the parish. I have always believed we should share our talents when we can, and I began serving on the parish’s finance council, which I continue to do at St. Paul.
It didn’t take long after joining the finance council to realize that St. Adalbert was in extreme disrepair. The years of low attendance meant weekly collections had been insufficient to pay the monthly bills, let alone maintain an aging and elaborate structure.
There were structural defects, and the building required constant repairs that would cost the parish millions. The condition of the building was no secret to anyone. It had been well documented and communicated, even to the former parishioners who now are camping outside St. Adalbert. All efforts to fundraise fell far short. We could barely afford to keep the building heated and the lights on.
The current situation with St. Adalbert is difficult to swallow. St. Paul cannot afford the rising costs to maintain the closed church. The parish continues paying $3,300 a month in utility bills for St. Adalbert, an additional $750 monthly for security and a whopping $37,500 for insurance annually. Compounding these costs is the $1.6 million in debt St. Paul absorbed from St. Adalbert.
The old and boarded-up church has been repeatedly broken into and vandalized. During winter months, people seeking shelter broke in and on numerous occasions set fires inside the building. At any time, the Pieta could be damaged or vandalized. This statue, this precious symbol for Pilsen, could be lost forever, and letting that happen because a handful of former St. Adalbert parishioners refuse to accept reality would be shameful.
The truth is that, after four years of meeting with outside groups, including preservationists, no realistic plan to preserve the St. Adalbert building was presented. There are a few, of course, who are righteous in their fight for their cultural history. I respect them and pray that any future development of St. Adalbert is beneficial to all in Pilsen. However, I ask those same individuals to respect their fellow Catholics who are determined to save the Pieta for Pilsen and future generations.
Perhaps it’s fitting that a battle has erupted over this statue in particular. The statue, of the Virgin Mary holding the body of the slain Jesus Christ, signifies many things, among them profound loss, sacrifice and the harsh reality of letting go to make a path to resurrection.
I will be among former St. Adalbert families waiting for the Pieta when she finally makes her journey to St. Paul. Our entire parish community, those of us from St. Adalbert included, will embrace her and protect her. In the meantime, please pray for the continued healing of Pilsen, our parish and the future of our beloved church.