The Statue of the Holy Family
A simple entry in the convent annals of September 20, 
1895 states: "A most beautiful and exquisite statue of the Holy Family arrived from Paris, it is the gift of Mrs. Corbett, it was selected by Miss Agnes Tobin.The niche in the main hall had to be made for it."
This uncomplicated statement veils a long, involved process of negotiation with artists, and with Sister Dolores in order to produce the beautiful image of the Holy Family that graced the convent at 890 Hayes Street, San Francisco, from 1895 until 1979.When the sisters sold the old convent, that special statue, too big for any of the other houses of the Community, was given to HolyCrossCemetery, Colma, CA. It now stands there, by the marble entrance into the rotunda of bishops, at the heart of the building.
The statue was not ready-made, but sculpted by artists in Paris, under the watchful eye of Miss Agnes Tobin. Agnes rightfully considered herself a sister of Sister Dolores, (who had been raised by Agnes’ parents). Miss Tobin, a literary figure of her time, was often in Europe with friends such as William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Robert Browning, G.K. Chesterton, the Meynell family and Mrs. Patrick Campbell, the great actress. Beginning in 1893, she often visited the Parisian studio undertaking the creation of the statue, writing back and forth to Sister Dolores posing questions about height, coloring, application of gold leaf and other preferences of the sisters for the image of their patrons.
The statue represents the Holy Family receiving two children, presented by angels. Originally the hair of one child was red and one dark brown, the coloring of Sisters Dolores and Teresa in earlier years.The two angels were placed in the group to represent the sisters bringing souls to the Holy Family. The Virgin and child, cloud, children and angels were original sculptures.The figure of St. Joseph seems to be the correct size, but of a more standard type, reworked to fit the tableau. The entire image, about 6 feet tall, standing on a wooden 2 foot base, was the image that greeted persons ascending or descending the main staircase to the chapel in the original San Francisco Motherhouse of the sisters.
The image in its dark green niche, the figures lightly tinted to correspond with the cream, gold and white of the chapel statues, was a favorite place for photo opportunities. Photographers, amateur or professional, posed people at the feet of the Holy Family: jubilarians; the developmentally challenged after their first communion or Confirmation in the sisters’ chapel (often with a bishop in tow); novitiate groups; lay friends and family members. Like the chapel itself, great attention was paid to the decorations of the statue for great feasts and other special occasions.
At the mausoleum, upon encountering the statue, one often finds small offerings of flowers in the hands of the angels or at the feet of the Holy Family. It is wonderful to share the lovely image with so many more people.The one regret the sisters have, beyond the absence of the statue in one of the convents, is that someone, with a great deal of devotion, but no knowledge of gold leaf and tinting, has retouched the statue with glossy, thick paint, losing some of its delicate coloring to a harsher appearance. But, the essence of the group and its message is still the same: those devoted to the Reign of God continue everywhere to bring others to the threshold of Heaven.