The Museum of Divine Statues

Photo: Gus Chan, Plain Dealer

Truly things in the Church get more and more bizarre! Today Bishop Lennon of Cleveland presented an apologia of the financial results of his closing of 50 parishes in the Cleveland diocese: the disposition of the properties and monies. (http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2012/01/cleveland_catholic_diocese_sha.html) But it was the location of the bishop’s news conference that was truly startling: a “decommissioned” Catholic parish, St. Hedwig, that now functions as a museum of Catholic art from terminated Cleveland parishes. This is the unique “Museum of Divine Statues.” (http://museumofdivinestatues.com/html/mission.html)

The Museum of Divine Statues was created to restore and care for art from destroyed Catholic churches. The museum’s resident restoration artist, Louis McClung, restores each statue to its former splendor. MCclung’s own position regarding recent aesthetic and liturgical developments in Catholicism is clear:

“Lou McClung can’t forgive the Catholic Church for the 1960s. During those turbulent years the Vatican approved sweeping changes to make Catholicism look modern. “They took away the Communion rails, they painted over the murals on the walls, they threw the statues in the garbage,” said Lou.” (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/25798)

When he heard the diocese was closing more than forty churches, McClung sprang into action, obtained the right to one of the closed parishes, scrapped its 1970’s conciliar decor and founded the museum.The saved art is then displayed in a “contemplative atmosphere.” The Museum is intended to honor the contributions of artists and the religious context of their art. And to preserve these works for another generation Truly an admirable mission! But it is a Twilight-zone event that the ordinary of the diocese then holds a news conference in said museum celebrating his dissipation of Cleveland’s treasures. Indeed, many objects of art from closed Cleveland churches are available for purchase from the approved diocesan vendor:http://www.church-inventory.com/index.php

See this amazing gallery, at times depressing, at times outrageous, by Gus Chan of the Plain Dealer: . http://photos.cleveland.com/plain-dealer/2011/11/lou_mcclungs_museum_of_divine_10.html