This is the actual statue at our church as she looked on Saturday. Isn't she gorgeous? My wonderful friend Mary O. sent me this picture from our May Crowning. Mary hand carried the crown back from Hawaii where she was visiting. It is just exquisite in real life. The morning sun was shining on her though the windows and the whole experience was really rather mystical.Our church is only a few years old but it has the feel of a traditional Catholic church. It is a charismatic parish and the members are very faithful to the magisterium We have a wonderful unity. There was talk of eventually turning these windows behind Mary into stained glass windows, but some of us really love the warm natural light they provide too. Mary looks very lovely in front of them.
For those of you who may be reading this who are not Catholic, please know that when I refer to the statue as 'she' I know I am talking about she who the statue represents. There is no worship of the statue here, nor worship of Mary either, for that matter. We honor her because she is the mother of Our Lord and because she leads us to Him. Just as at the wedding at Cana she is always telling us, "Do whatever he tells you."