Artist Ken Woo (center), the creator of the icons, organized the rally.
I received an email this morning from John J. O’Sullivan (full disclosure – John is a friend of mine) who attended the rally yesterday evening in Manhattan to save the icons at The Church of Our Saviour. He reports:
There was a small rag-tag group of Catholics who stood in front of the residence of Cardinal Dolan. We asked to see Cardinal Dolan, but he was away. At first, we thought that we wouldn’t be able to get any word in, but we were told that we’d be able to see a representative of the archdiocese.
At first, it was said that only one of us would be able to meet with the rep, but eventually Ken Woo, the artist responsible for the icons, along with two men who attended Our Saviour before and after Fr. Rutler’s tenure met with the archdiocesan rep.
Afterwards, they said that the meeting was “productive,” and the archdiocese was made more than aware of what is currently happening at Our Saviour.
No word of any resolution to this issue yet, but a “productive” meeting with someone from the New York Archdiocese is more than has happened so far. For the time being, we’ll remain cautiously optimistic that the Pantocrator can be saved, but I’m not betting any money (yet) on the restoration of the other icons.
Steve Skojec is the Founding Publisher of OnePeterFive.com. He received his BA in Communications and Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2001. His commentary has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Crisis Magazine, EWTN, Huffington Post Live, The Fox News Channel, Foreign Policy, and the BBC. Steve and his wife Jamie have eight children. You can find more of his writing at his Substack, The Skojec File.
This is a pitiful situation. One thing it does magnify is the empty rhetoric concerning the place of the laity in the Church. These heterodox clergy would prefer to see empty “worship spaces” than deal with conscientious men and women mindful of doctrine and deeply devoted to the Most Holy Trinity, and the Mother of Jesus Christ, ascenting to the Creed and mindful of their Christian duty to their neighbor. All empty rhetoric since 1965, amplified since March 2013.
Almost James. The only laity who are welcome are those who would aid and abet the destruction of the sanctuary, liturgical abuses and irreverence, suppression of the Latin Mass, womyn priests etc
Since this has opened up questions of financial importance, then it’s time to probe further. The problem with not being transparent from the start means that people will start digging. Not only now is it a question about the icons, their value and the patrimony of those who donated them; there are questions about rectory renovations/expenses; employee brought from previous parish; interaction with parish staff; and more.
Copy of email just Sent to Robert… The Holy Icons which blessed the faithful and deeply faithful Christians of The Saviour Church have disappeared.
I know you can sell them at great gain for yourself and the parish, but should you?
Why not give the parishioners what they want and return them, or are you too afraid to be in their presence each day?
I’ll be keeping tabs on this story and hope you do the correct thing.
Your Orthodox Friend, Katerina, Wakefield, U.K.
To quote Churchill, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
I would add, start a website and keep the light burning publicly. The darkness hates the light. Don’t for a moment believe they will grant you a thing if they can help it.
Close your wallets to the false church New Yorkers.