LONDON
Five months after the shocking desecration of the statue of Mother Mary, a new statue was blessed and installed at the St Joseph's Church in Wembley much to the delight of the Goan community.
During his two-day pastoral visit on January 17, Bishop John Sherrington blessed the newly installed statue of Our Lady at St Joseph’s Church in the presence of a large crowd, following the Saturday Vigil Mass.
The statue of Mother Mary, which is attached to the Marian Catechetical Centre, is located in the car park outside the church.
Bishop John reflected on the significance of Mary’s role as a mother, reminding the congregation that she is a comforting intercessor who brings devotees closer to Jesus and the Father.
He spoke of the grief felt after the statue was vandalised during the summer, but emphasised the joy of its restoration, encouraging the faithful to always turn to Mary for guidance and protection.
Fr Joseph Kaduthanam, Parish Priest at St Joseph's Church, expressed gratitude to Bishop John for blessing the statue and restoring hope to the parish.
He recalled the emotional impact of the vandalism and the strength the community found in prayer, particularly through the recitation of the rosary.
“People channelised their emotions in a positive way resulting in stronger devotion to our mother. We started reciting the Rosary daily prior to the Masses and our youth on weekly basis gathered to recite the Rosary,” said Fr Joseph.
Fr Joseph also acknowledged the generosity of well-wishers who were willing to sponsor the new statue, however the Parish Finance committee felt the parish should pay for the statue to make it a collective effort to honour devotion to the Blessed Mother.
The event marked a moment of joy and renewed faith, as the parish celebrated the visible presence of Mary as a mother to all.
The large Goan community in Wembley had been shocked when the statue of Mother Mary was desecrated at the St Joseph's Church in Wembley in the wee hours of August 7, 2024.
The Goan community had a great devotion to the statue of Mother Mary, with throngs of Goans stopping by to pray in front of the statue throughout the day and night.
According to residents in Wembley, there used to be a grotto at the site and that grotto was removed to make way for the Marian Catechetical Centre. A new statue of Mother Mary was subsequently installed at the site.
Following the desecration of the statue, the Wembley police and the diocese were notified of the incident and a police team had gone to the site to conduct investigations.
