New Faces of Dominican Saints Greet Ohio Dominican Visitors

October 31, 2005

COLUMBUS, OH – Visitors to Ohio Dominican University will see two new figures amid  the growing number of students populating the campus. 

Statues of St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena installed on campus are enlarged versions of sculptures created by artist and Dominican sister Rose Marie Morris, O.P., of Sparkill, New York.  Both statues were cast in bronze by Polich Art Works of Rock Tavern, New York.

 

Situated on top of a large mound at the main entrance to Ohio Dominican’s campus on Sunbury Road, the 5’6” statue of St. Dominic is posed with the gospels in hand. His eyes are trained towards Heaven, and he has the appearance of being on the move. The statue is an embodiment of the itinerate preacher.

 

Just a little further east on the path between Spangler Learning Center and Erskine Hall is the 3’6” statue of St. Catherine of Siena, situated on top of a 3’ concrete base.  Carrying a cross clutched to her heart, with her eyes also looking upward, the depiction of St. Catherine captures the courage of the contemplative and visionary disciple of Truth.

 

“What I love about the statues is that they were created by a Dominican,” said Sr. Catherine Colby, O.P, Dominican Sister of St. Mary of the Springs and Director of ODU’s Center for Dominican Studies.  “I believe they are a true expression of the artist’s own understanding of the Dominican charism. They justly embody the contemplative and apostolic lives of Saints Dominic and Catherine.”

 

Sr. Rose Marie Morris, O.P. was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1927.  A teacher and artist, Sr. Rose Marie created many Dominican statues as well as sculptures of Mary, Mother of Christ and depictions of angels. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from ManhattanCollege; a master’s degree in Art Education from Notre Dame University; and a master’s degree in Fine Arts in Sculpture from Fontbonne College. After 43 years as a Dominican sister, she passed away in October 1993.