The Squire
VOLUME III ISSUE i
Summer 2019
ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
New discoveries made during Mary statue restoration By Michaela Darcy
prominent place on Riordan’s campus.” The statue was placed in the courtyard in 1954, and survived the 1957 (5.7 magnitude) and 1989 (6.9 magnitude) earthquakes. “The statue is in fairly good condition, but like all monuments, it needs to be cleaned. Pollution in the air has a negative effect on the stone work,” said Juan Zumbado ’98, Dean of Students. He added, “The statue of Mary is a huge symbol of who we are as a school. She is the mother of Christ. He came into the world through her, and we come into the world through our mothers. As we come into the school, we see her image.” And, “It is part of our legacy, and a symbol of what is expected of us. We are reminded of her commitment to her faith and why we are here. It is an example of who we should be as Christians and reminds us how we should treat each other.” Riordan alumnus Reno Taini A 1961 penny and golf putter were found when the junipers were removed. ’59 and Mark Fontana, who is Bro. Bolts said in an email, the owner of V Fontana & Co., “It was particularly appropriate plan to begin restoration at the since the Marianists, a Society end of the summer, according to dedicated to the Blessed Mother, Fontana. should have a statue of Mary in a Taini is invested because his
Grade 8, St. Gabriel School The Mary statue is straight ahead as students, parents, staff, and visitors walk through the front doors of Riordan, which is why it is important to keep the statue in presentable condition. In May, gardeners removed the juniper bushes around Mary, but there is more work to be done to restore it in the near future. According to Brother William Bolts, SM ’53, “The statue of Mary commemorates the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the teaching that Mary was conceived without the original sin of Adam and Eve. That title is her Immaculate Conception.”
Photos by Antonio Maffei ’20 The Mary statue is scheduled to be restored later this summer. father was one of the first groundskeepers of Riordan, and he helped shore up the statue. Brandon Ramsey, Director of Facilities, said, “There is expected work to be done on the statue, like sanding the bottom of its base, power washing, and paint.” There were a few items found when the juniper bushes were removed, including a 1961 penny and a golf putter. Both items look very old, and although there is no estimated age of the golf putter, both are thought to have been covered in the dirt and junipers for many years. Also, after the bushes were removed, lilies began to sprout out of the soil, revealing another hidden gem.