Community Outcry Over Plan to Move Beloved Statue of Italian Saint

Ironbound residents are up in arms over a plan to relocate a statue of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini from a neglected park. At a recent meeting, locals voiced their strong opposition to this proposal, which was first brought up by the City Council earlier this year. Currently, the statue of Mother Cabrini, as she’s affectionately known, stands in a park near Newark Penn Station. However, there’s a proposal to move it to a spot near St. Francis Xavier Church in the North Ward. This idea didn’t sit well with the community, and East Ward Councilman Michael Silva organized a meeting at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church to address the issue.

The East Ward and North Ward were bustling Italian immigrant communities in the early 1900s, but those populations have since dwindled. Residents are determined to keep their heritage alive, and the Mother Cabrini statue is a key part of that effort. Mother Cabrini dedicated her life to helping immigrants by founding schools, orphanages, and hospitals for the sick and poor. She was the first U.S. citizen to be canonized in 1946. The statue in Newark marks the location of her school for Italian immigrant children.

Many residents felt blindsided by the relocation proposal. The idea came from North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos Jr., who wasn’t at the meeting. He mentioned that the Columbian Foundation suggested moving the statue to a new Immigrant Plaza near St. Francis Xavier Church.

“We wanted to create a statue that honors Italian immigrants and other immigrants because that community has changed,” Ramos told TAPinto Newark. “We thought it could be a nice open space to honor the Italian immigrant experience and other immigrants in the area.”

The Columbian Foundation identified the Mother Cabrini statue for this purpose about seven months ago. “We received a letter from the Columbian Foundation about the statue behind Newark Penn Station… if you know anything about Mother Cabrini, she’s the patron saint of immigrants,” Ramos explained.

The meeting at Mount Carmel Church highlighted the lack of communication between the city and East Ward residents. Silva emphasized the historical significance of both the statue and its current location, despite its neglected state. The statue’s location is often surrounded by homelessness and drug use. Silva described the area as “an embarrassment to the city.” Around 75 community members at the meeting insisted that the statue should remain in the East Ward.

A third option was proposed during the meeting: moving the Cabrini statue to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church. This compromise seemed agreeable to both sides. Residents pledged to clean the area around the Cabrini statue twice a month, ensuring a safer environment until a decision is reached. Carla Guerriero from NJIT urged the council to consider this third option, highlighting the community’s willingness to support the project and preserve Mother Cabrini’s legacy.