Restoration of a Sculpture of Our Lady of Good Voyage, Our Lady of Good Voyage Church,
National Fishermen’s Shrine, Gloucester, MA
At the wedding of my son, Christian Paul Sullivan to Alice Isabella Ciabanu at Our lady of Good Voyage in 2008 I noticed a neglected statue at the back of the parking lot. I have had experience restoring marble sculptures, and this was my former parish, so I asked the Pastor, Father Eugene Alves, if I could restore Our Lady of Good Voyage with the Boat. In the beginning it was just me and the snakes and the insects but I discovered a cement based original sculpture with good proportions and some life and grace. I had to make some repairs but the main parts of the figure were intact. The sculptor’s signature at the base is not legible. Father Alves said he heard that the face was based upon actress Grace Kelly. The landscaping has also been restored showing the Virgin with the boat in a commanding position on the boulder,
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Alice and Chris
