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The use of statues as religious art is part of Catholic tradition. The statues are not worshipped, but rather they are images which bring the memory of important people from Scripture and the saints. They are prayer aids which remind us of the people they represent, how they hear our prayers and carry our concerns to Jesus. There are a number of statues around the church which represent important people in the Catholic tradition.
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Blessed Virgin Mary
In many American Catholic churches, an image of Mary stands prominent within the sanctuary. Here at St. Mary's, the left side altar holds a large statue of Mary, pictured here.
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St. Clare
This statue of St. Clare stands within the church library near the front entrance. St. Clare holds a special part within California and Catholic history. She was an early follower of St. Francis of Assisi and the founder of the Poor Clares, the female branch of the Franciscan order. She is depicted holding a monstrance because she held up the Eucharist in the monstrance and deterred an attack by invading Saracens on her monastery. The Franciscans who founded the local mission named it after her, in Spanish, Santa Clara, which the city of Santa Clara and the county of Santa Clara take their name from.
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St. Therese of Liseux
St. Therese of Liseux remains one of the most popular saints in modern times. Born 1873 in Alençon, France, she sought to join a Carmelite monastery at the young age of 15, requiring special permission and even a journey to Rome. She was not well known during her lifetime, but after her death in 1897 her spiritual memoir was published, called "A Story of a Soul", which remains a best seller to this day. Her spirituality, outlined in "A Story of a Soul", is called "the Little Way", consisting of doing everyday tasks for the love of God. She is usually depicted in her Carmelite habit, with roses (due to her promise to send a shower of roses after her death), and an image of Christ (her religious name was the Sr. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face). She is also called "The Little Flower". Her parents, Zélie and Louis Martin have also been canonized.
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St. Aloysius Gonzaga
Born in 1568, St. Aloysius Gonzaga was a member of the prominent House of Gonzaga, but chose to join the Jesuits instead of becoming a noble. Joining the Jesuits in 1587, he was studying in Rome when a plague broke out in 1591. In his work with the sick, he became infected and died that year at the age of 23. He is pictured with a crucifix which he was holding when he died. He remains one of the most popular of the Jesuit saints, and a reminder of the Jesuit presence at St. Mary's.
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