Our Parish is a Eucharistic community of Christians resopnding to the call of Jesus under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, associated with other parishes of the Diocese and served by pastoral and representative leadership. Nourished by the sacraments, our parish strives to proclaim Jesus and the Good News of salvation, and serve the total community to prepare for the Kingdom of God.

ICON

Icon written by Brother Claude Lane, OSB, of Mount Angel Abbey, St. Benedict, Oregon. 

The image which bears the name of the parish for which it was written, "St. Mary of the Rosary," shows Our Lady in the ornate position, or in the traditional "raised hand" gesture of prayer, as seen in Byzantine icons.  She holds a rosary of gold and red beads, the red indicating the thorny roses of Christ's passion.  The gold beads suggest His divinity, which is recalled by the words "Holy Mary, Mother of God..." 

Blue symbolizes wisdom, so the deep blue background recalls Mary's title, "Seat of Wisdom."  From the Book of Revealtion, we hear the Chrurch described as a "woman clothed in the sun with the moon at her feet."  By extention, we apply this to Mary, becaurse anything you can say about the Church, you can analogously say about the Mother of Jesus.

The three stars found on Mary's shoulders and forehead indicate her perpetual virginity: before, during and after the birth of her son.  The cloud shows her "lifted up" or assumed into heaven.  The white dress and light blue veil are colors associated with the Immaculate Conception, , as we find in the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes.

All together, the symbolism eemployed in this icon expressesthe four Marian dogmas: Mary is the mother of God, her Perpetual Virginity, her Immaculate Conception, and her Assumption into heaven.

Just as the pillar of cloud, which contained God's Holy Presence, led the People of Israel to the Promised Land, so it hoped that Mary, formed "beautifully as a pillar for the temple built by God"will lead the parish community of St. Mary of the Rosary to that beautiful city, the New Jerusalem.

St. Catherine of Bologna, patroness of artists pray for us that such inspirational works of art be encouraged and supported.