Our beloved statue of St. Clement, hand-made by the late Paul Dupuis of our parish, was accidentally disturbed and suffered a terrible fall, leaving it seriously damaged. This was quite a sight to see after my return from my silent retreat. A great silenced reigned in the Church when the terrible fall occurred. It was all very sad.
Fortunately, Mr. Dupuis had taken the precaution of having a cast made in Montreal from the original statue, from which he had a life-size copy made, and it was in the rectory. We have placed it in the church for the time being. But the original statue, with its distinctive anchors, is very dear to us and irreplaceable. It was the only statue Paul Dupuis ever made, and up to his death he would say that he never understood how he managed to create it. It was as if it had been divinely inspired.
The remains are now in the able hands of Pauline and Steve Winogron, of Brushworks, who had restored our St. Philomena statue years ago, which has been shattered by the Italian postal service. The restoration work for that statue was so impressive that we have called in the “Resurrection of St. Philomena” (the video can be found below).
At this time we are seeking donations toward the restoration of our St. Clement Statue, as it is quite extensive work. Even if your donation is small, it will help with the associated expenses. Thank-you for your prayers with regard to this matter.
Sancte Clemens, ora pro nobis !