HOBART: 22 May 2014
-- After
years
in storage following vandalism the Dominic College (Hobart,
Tasmania) St John Bosco statue has been reinstated,
rededicated and
blessed. This statue (of the founder of the Salesians) came to
the
College with the first Salesians who arrived at Glenorchy in
1946. It
was placed on the balcony of the first floor of Grantleigh
(aka 'the white
house'), looking down towards the entrance of the property.
Old Scholars of Boys’ Town (which then became Savio College
and finally
Dominic College) remember the statue well. The statue was
later placed
in front of the old school chapel but unfortunately the statue
was
badly damaged about 15 years ago, before the old chapel was
destroyed
by fire.
The headless statue was kept in the maintenance workshop,
covered in
dust and dirt.
The restoration of the St John Bosco statue has taken the
College
several years to find someone willing to restore the statue.
Sculptor,
Mr Ian Munday, local UTAS (University of Tasmania)-based
artist
responsible for the repair of the statue addressed the College
community last week at the rededication and blessing of the
statue.
Mr Munday admitted he initially thought the task was
impossible. “This
project for me has reaffirmed that nothing is beyond
redemption and
that all things are repairable in the end.”
Mr Munday’s address provided a thought provoking and
metaphorical
message for all who were gathered.
College Rector, Fr Frank Bertagnolli was the driver behind the
statue’s
restoration.
“There are two important reasons that I was determined to have
it
restored, firstly to maintain the historical link the statue
has with
the Salesian pioneers to the College and secondly to restore
what the
statue symbolises, the origins of the Salesian mission to
young people
to evangelise by educating and educate by evangelising – a
mission
which continues today. St John Bosco played an instrumental
role in
securing improved employment conditions at the height of the
industrial
revolution in the city of Turin, Italy for working boys aged
between 10
and 20.
These boys were illiterate –and they
were exploited by ruthless bosses (recall the stories of
Charles
Dickens, such as “David Copperfield”).
They would sleep under bridges, or in make shift
accommodation, they
had very little to eat, and many died young in work accidents.
Realizing these boys needed an education St John Bosco set up
classes
and workshops and began educating them, eventually
establishing an
orphanage that housed hundreds of homeless youths."
The statue of St John Bosco shows him looking kindly towards a
young
boy who has a hammer in his hand, no doubt a young apprentice
or
worker, rescued by St John Bosco.
College Principal, Ms Beth Gilligan is extremely pleased with
the
restoration of this significant role model for the Dominic
College
community.
“In Catholic communities, we commission, create and use
statues of
saints so that we can draw attention, honour and remember
their lives,
their work and their meaning in our lives today. The
restoration of our
St John Bosco statue reminds us of St John Bosco’s dedication
to
improving the lives of young people to be able to be young
Christians
and honest citizens.”
The Salesians had six of these statues made and placed in
various
schools in Australia.
Today the exact replica of this statue can be found at:
Dominic College
(Glenorchy); Dunlea Centre Engadine (Sydney); Don Bosco Centre
Brunswick (Melbourne); Salesian College Sunbury
(VIC);
Salesian College Chadstone (Melbourne); and at St John Bosco
Primary
School (Adelaide).
All in the community are invited to see the statue, now
located in the
foyer of the Dezani Design and Trade Centre at Dominic
College.
