New sculpture of the Sacred Heart to tour the U.S., be installed in Jerusalem

On June 11th of this year, as part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (and before the June 12th Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus), the U.S. bishops will gather in Florida to consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart.

Canadian sculptor Timothy Paul Schmalz talked recently with Catholic World Report about his sculpture’s origin and about its special relevance during this year of consecration.

“I was in Rome more than a year ago,” he explained, “… and I had a conversation about doing a Sacred Heart sculpture. I started working on it, and just completed it on Easter Sunday. It was only then that I became aware of the importance of this sculpture for America this year.”

Schmalz sought to capture the image of Christ with an expression both welcoming and compassionate, and radiating joy and strength. “I finally got that look,” he said, “heroic, strong, but with a welcoming look on his face. I was working and working to achieve that result–and finally I tilted the head just slightly. This slight turn of the head made it show that he was welcoming you into his heart!”

The statue depicts the Risen Christ, with His wounds clearly visible on the hands. On his shoulder is the Shroud of Turin.

Schmalz has been invited to the U.S. Bishops’ Spring Plenary Assembly in June in Orlando, Florida. There, he will share with them his sculpture of the Sacred Heart, and also the largest sculpture park he has ever created, the Gospel Gardens. Located at Orlando’s Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary Queen of the Universe, the Gospel Gardens include 14 life-sized sculptures depicting Jesus on the day of His Crucifixion.

According to Schmalz, after the U.S. Bishops’ convocation concludes, his sculpture of the Sacred Heart will be displayed in Orlando and will then begin a nationwide tour, being displayed at numerous cathedrals and parishes across the United States. Details of the national tour have yet to be finalized. “Ideally,” Schmalz said, “I hope to have it stay there [in Orlando] for a month, then go from Florida to the North, then from the North to travel to the western states.”

After its American tour, the Sacred Heart sculpture will be installed in Jerusalem. Schmalz was proud to note that his sculptures of both the pre-born Christ and the Risen Christ will be permanently installed in the Holy Land: His pro-life sculpture depicting Baby Jesus still in the womb will be shipped this month to Bethlehem, where it will be displayed in front of the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square, the location where it is believed that Jesus was born.

In a February 26 letter to Schmalz confirming the city of Bethlehem’s plan to install the sculpture, Bethlehem’s Mayor, Nicola Canawati, wrote:

This sculpture is not only a powerful artistic representation of Mary and the birth of Christ, but also a profound symbol of the sacredness and dignity of all human life. We believe your visual message will leavw a lasting spiritual and cultural impact for generations to come in this historic setting.

Schmalz’s numerous sculptures have sparked faith across the United States and around the world. His highly recognized sculpture titled “Homeless Jesus” represents Christ as among the most marginalized in society. Schmalz explains that with the Christ figure sleeping on a park bench and shrouded by a blanket, the only indication that it is Jesus is the visible wounds on the feet. In 2013, Pope Francis welcomed Schmalz’s “Homeless Jesus” to the Vatican, where it was permanently installed in St. Peter’s Square; and a copy of that famed image was installed earlier this year before a cathedral in China. Another is soon to be installed in Paris, France, where it will stand in front of St. Vincent de Paul’s home.

In 2022, Schmalz’s ”Life Monument”–a depiction of Mary with the unborn Christ Child, composed of stainless steel and shining brightly in her womb–was installed in Rome’s beautiful baroque Church of San Marello al Corso.

And most recently, on May 9, the Life Monument was unveiled at All Saints parish in Haverhill, Massachusetts, during a Mother’s Day ceremony.

“Angels Unawares,” another bronze sculpture by Schmalz, was inspired by Hebrews 13:2, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” The work depicts migrants and refugees from all cultural and racial backgrounds and from all historic periods of time–all standing together, shoulder to shoulder, on a boat. Within this diverse crowd of people, Schmalz has envisioned angels, their wings visible in the center of the crowd.

In 2019, “Angels Unawares” was installed in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, and another smaller version was installed in Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Here in the United States, a smaller (seven-foot) version of “Angels Unawares” is displayed at the University of San Diego.

Schmalz is determined to use his artwork as a face of our faith. He explains, “Mainstream media, if they mention Christianity at all, often portrays faith in a negative light. There is no better way to address that than through artwork, because it is here forever. It is preaching forever–lasting not only for our generation, but for future generations to come.”

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