CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Plans are in the works to move a marble statue from a former church in Pilsen to another parish in the neighborhood, but the move is meeting with some resistance.
St. Adalbert Church closed in 2019 and is no longer considered a sacred space by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Recently, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, as crews began removing an outside wall to get at a replica statue of Michelangelo’s Pieta to move to St. Paul Church, the permit for the work was for the wrong side of the building.
Julie Sawicki is part of a group that has tried to preserve St. Adalbert and considers what the archdiocese is doing as looting the former church. She said it’s very distressing.
“This is valuable artwork, there’s a lot of stuff inside the church that is valuable artwork," Sawicki told the Sun-Times.
In a statement to WBBM, the Archdiocese of Chicago confirmed that a replica of Michelangelo’s La Pieta statue from St. Adalbert Church will be moved to St. Paul Catholic Church, emphasizing that St. Adalbert is a closed building whereas St. Paul's is an active church with parishioners.
"Parishioners will have access to worship before and better enjoy the sculpture in its new home," said the Archdiocese of Chicago. "Moreover, this valued community treasure can be better safeguarded and preserved in an active parish church."
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