The Mary Project: Dedication of Mary and Crowning on Sunday, May 18

St. John Kanty Church in Buffalo’s historic Polonia has raised enough money to replace a well-known and well-loved statue of Mary that has stood at the corner of Broadway and Brownell for almost half a century.

The fundraiser, with a goal of $1,500, was initiated by the church’s alumni committee and named “The Mary Project.” According to a statement released by the church, the statue of Mary had deteriorated to the point where repair was not possible.

The project also includes landscaping around the statue and plans to move the cornerstone of the original St. John Kanty School to the corner. The school stood at that site until it was demolished in the 1960s after the church community built a new school.

St. John Kanty Church, at 101 Swinburne Street, plans to dedicate the new statue of Mary after the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 18, 2014. The ceremony will include a traditional May crowning and a procession from the church. 

The church calls the statute a “beacon of hope” that has played an important role in the neighborhood for decades. St. John Kanty Church was established in Buffalo in 1892.

Wagner Monuments, Pilar Landscaping and Pines Garden Center provided work and consultation on the project to help bring the vision for “The Mary Project” to life.