An Unlikely Mosaic
The mosaic at the Shrine includes an unusual park bench with gargoyle armrests. It is memorialized on the wall because Mother Cabrini used to sit upon this bench to pray when she visited northern Manhattan.
Where did this unique item some from?
We don’t know with certainty but have what we think is a plausible theory.
The Neighbors on Fort Washington Avenue
George Grey Barnard
When Mother Cabrini bought this land in 1899, very few houses existed in northern Manhattan. One was Libbey Castle, which was once the summer home of Boss Tweed. Another, just to the south of Sacred Heart Villa, belonged to an eccentric sculptor named George Grey Barnard.
Barnard was a lively character. In the early 20th century, he traveled through France collecting medieval sculptures and pieces of long-abandoned monasteries. Before the first World War broke out, Barnard shipped a large quantity of this material home to New York. Much of it was installed in Barnard’s “Cloister Museum” on Fort Washington Avenue, which he opened in 1913. He later sold this collection to John D. Rockefeller and it eventually formed the core of what is now the Met Cloisters Museum.
Where Did the Bench’s Gargoyles Come From?
Mother Cabrini was always making new connections with people, and always seeking funding for her missions. We therefore suspect that one day she strolled down Fort Washington Avenue to pay a call on George Grey Barnard. In the course of their conversation she naturally would have commented on his unusual collection of buildings and sculptures.
We suspect Barnard, flattered by her interest, had his workers take two gargoyles and fashion them into a special bench, and then presented it to Mother Cabrini.
A postcard showing the garden at the Shrine prior to Mother Cabrini’s canonization
Whatever its origins, the bench has been in the garden at 701 Fort Washington Avenue as long as anyone can remember. On Saturday, April 5, it will be removed for restoration, so that visitors can once again use it as Mother Cabrini did: to pray in peace.
Saving Mother Cabrini's Bench
You are invited to help us preserve Mother Cabrini’s prayer bench. In recent years this special second-class relic has fallen into disrepair. It is now in need of professional restoration. On April 5 the bench will be removed from the Shrine’s grounds and conservation will begin. With your help, we’ll be able to re-install the bench in a new prayer garden in time for Mother Cabrini’s 175th birthday this July.
How You Can Help
Your contribution, big or small, toward restoring Mother Cabrini’s historic bench is of tremendous value. You may make a donation online, or via check made out to St. Frances Cabrini Shrine. For named giving opportunities, contact Julia Attaway by calling (212) 923-3536.
