Statues of St. Anthony, Mary blessed at church

Two statues with symbolic importance for St. Anthonys Catholic Church were blessed recently and now stand as welcoming presences near the front doors of the church on Frankwood Avenue.

One statue depicts St. Anthony of Padua, patron saint of the Reedley church.

The other is a representation of Mary pregnant with Jesus, which is a statement about the Catholic Churchs pro-life position, said Jim McGahan, a St. Anthonys parishioner.

The statues each with a bronze coating stand just short of 7 feet tall. They are mounted on stone bases that are just over 3 feet tall.

The stands are made of rocks from Smith Mountain, which is historically significant for the parish.

In the early 1900s, 24 families went to Smith Mountain and got rocks used to build old St. Anthonys church on F Street.

This year, Matthew Reyes and fellow Boy Scouts in Troop 282 gathered rocks from Smith Mountain for the bases. Reyes role in gathering the rocks is a step toward him earning his rank as an Eagle Scout.

Monsignor John Esquivel, pastor of St. Anthonys, blessed the statues in separate ceremonies.

He pointed out that the statue of St. Anthony faces south in the direction of old St. Anthonys.

St. Anthony is basically saying, Im watching over those who attend the old church, Esquivel said.

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Statues of St. Anthony, Mary blessed at church