Marmion Abbey
Aurora, Illinois
My connection with Marmion Abbey goes back to my sophomore year in the seminary. When I moved into a new dorm room, the previous occupant left behind a prayer card with information about Dom Columba Marmion. Marmion Abbey was the address for more information on the cause for his canonization. I wrote to the Abbey, purchased one of Dom Columban's books, and periodically checked up on the progress of the Abbot's cause. When the abbey contacted me about doing a set of stations for their new church, it was a unique thrill. The stations are mounted on double columns facing outward into the ambulatory, bridging the gap between the columns. They are in an elongated, vertical format and focus on key gestures and persons in each of the points along the way of the Cross. The goal of the simple forms and tightly focused imagery is to invite contemplation of the larger mystery lived in these events. Ideally, they foster the spirit of self-sacrifice and communal committment to which St. Benedict's Rule guides the monk.
Year: 1998
Material: Beech