As you all may have noticed for the last two weeks there was something different about the area by BSB. It wasn't the landscape. It wasn't the construction workers or the long lines leading into and out of BSB. The difference was in a 33 foot tall, silver statue of the Virgin Mary placed right outside of the John Paul II Newman Center. The first week after the statue was placed in the cul-de-sac on Morgan St., there was a plethora of people surrounding it, taking out their cameras and their phones, snapping off photo after photo, and others who just stood there, staring up at her and reading the signs that stood around her.

As I sat by the statue watching people to see their reactions to the statue, I saw several students stare up at the statue as they rode their bikes not worrying about where their bikes took them. What made those bikers stare up at this statue and risk their own safety and the safety of others by taking their eyes off of the road ahead of them? On another occasion, I saw several cars pull up into the cul-de-sac, proceed to stop and stare out their windshield at the statue, and then continue on their way. During both instances, several people took the time to get off their bikes and out of their cars, take a picture, and then continue on their way.

The one question that needed answering was, why are so many people stopping to take photos? As people, whether we are running from class to class, being on time for an appointment, or making it to a meeting, our time is valuable to us. What was the reason that people stopped in front of this statue, especially if they don't attend UIC? What was the reason that students took time to stop in front of it, take a picture, and, possibly, risk being late for class, a meeting or an appointment?

To answer this, I went out and asked people. Kristin Brock, a fourth year Psychology major, said, "I'm not sure how I feel about her, because I don't know much about her. I feel like she's very important, but I have no clue why she's here." This was a reaction that many students had. They didn't know why a statue of the Virgin Mary was there or what the purpose was.

A young man from the community, when asked why he was taking a picture of the statue, said, "Because it's ridiculous. [They're] sticking Christianity right in your face at a University that should be diverse."

Professor Judith Gardiner, the Director of Gender and Women's Studies at UIC, had similar sentiments towards the statue. She believed that it was inappropriate of the University to allow one set of religious beliefs to feel more welcome than another. She felt that the Newman Center should have put the statue in their parking lot, not on a public street.

Others, however, were taken by the size of the statue. Several students I spoke to found it gaudy and overly large, thinking it was too big to be allowed. One graduate student believed that because of the statue's size, it was to the likeness of other statues in Europe.

While these reactions have come from one end of the spectrum, there have been reactions on the complete opposite side. Ilse, a fourth year undergraduate, felt that the size of the statue was important in how it was received by the people in the community. "If it was smaller, it wouldn't have had the same impact." And several people passing by the statue have remarked that the size of the statue was extremely impressive and that it was not overly large.

Aida Soto, a fourth year sociology major, said, "When I pass her, she seems to bring peace to the campus." A sentiment shared by Eloy Reyes, a staff member at UIC.

He said he felt "Comfort, hope. A sense of peace" as he stared up at her.

Anthonia Anuzie, a third year chemistry major, believes that it's great that the statue is on the campus, not only because of the peace and comfort it may bring to people: "I love it," she says, "It is showcasing Maria to everyone. It is making everyone ask questions."

This feeling is shared by many at the Newman Center who believe that the University is a place where people can share differing ideas and talk about them.

The reactions of students to the statue don't just end there. Several people interviewed brought First Amendment rights into the discussion.

Zachary Walloga, a senior majoring in Communications, who is involved in many of the Newman Center's activities, has something to say to those who feel as if Christianity is being forced down people's throats: "If other groups can say whatever they want and post fliers all over the UIC campus, even if I find it offensive, then I believe we have a right [to show our beliefs]."

A young man who lives in the neighborhood was walking in front of the statue and said that he didn't think there was anything wrong with it. "If there was a Star of David, I wouldn't care. It's freedom of Religion."

People with different religious beliefs outside of Christianity, such as Debo Priyo Banerjee, a second year graduate student, who follows Hinduism, looked up at the towering statue.

Mr. Banerjee said, "This is an amazing structure in the heart of UIC. I want to know what she is trying to say."

Amer Saleh, a fourth year undergraduate student who is part of the Nation of Islam, said, "It does not bother me at all. We have to respect every religion. In order for one to be respected, one must respect others."

After talking to these students I returned to where I had been sitting by the statue, and continued to watch people as they walked towards the statue of the Virgin Mary. I tried to process everything that those who were interviewed had said. There were many conflicting opinions on what has become a controversial object, but the one thing that can be said for the statue is, even though it may not be completely supported or opposed by the community the statue has become a focal point for discussion among people of different backgrounds, beliefs and cultures.

By Gary Wisby | UIC reporter

At 33 feet tall and weighing more than 8,000 pounds, the statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium is on display outside the John Paul II Newman Center through Saturday.

Father Patrick Marshall, chaplain and executive director of the Newman Center, said he worked to bring the traveling statue to UIC on a flatbed truck to inspire faith and get people talking and thinking about religion.

“Hopefully it will start some respectful dialogue,” he said.

Catholic Masses will be held daily at 12:05 and 5:15 p.m. through Friday in front of the statue, 700 S. Morgan St.

By Erin Vogel | Flame reporter

The Virgin Mary has come to UIC, in the form of an enormous stainless steel statue. The statue, standing at 33 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing in at 8,400 pounds, has been sitting on the back of a blue flatbed truck outside of the John Paul II Newman Center since September 5th.

"Our Lady of the Millennium" was commissioned in 1995 by the late Carl Demma, a dedicated Catholic from Oak Lawn, whose lifelong dream was to build a statue devoted to the Virgin Mary for the city of Chicago.

In her book, "Our Lady of the New Millenium: One Man's Dream", Gail Jardine explains that he came up with the idea when he was only nine years old, after mistaking the statue on the top of the Chicago Board of Trade building for a statue of Mary. Upon learning that the statue was the Roman goddess of agriculture, he said, "Then I will build a statue so big that all of Chicago can see her!"

It was eventually built by the artist Charles Cropper Parks, along with his assistant, Matt Large. In 1999, it was blessed in St. Louis by Pope John Paul II.

Father Pat Marshall, the director and priest of the Newman Center, requested last spring that the statue be brought to UIC. He wanted it to be present on campus at the beginning of the school year. "A lot of people don't know that out of the 25,000 students at UIC, 15,000 of those students are from Catholic families," he explained. "We have more Catholic students than any Catholic or private university in the Midwest."

He said that he hopes that "it deepens the faith of Catholic students, and opens up a dialogue between believers and nonbelievers." He said that so far the presence of the statue has been "without controversy", and that the Newman Center has not received any complaints about the statue. He added, "For those that disagree with us, it's still a good thing. What a university is supposed to be is about dialogue."

No university funds or funds from the Newman Center were spent on the statue. Demma's wife, Fran Demma, covers the cost of the statue's transportation from place to place. Steve Horvath, a junior at UIC, is happy to know that the university did not spend money on the statue, and feels that "if they want a statue, they can have a statue, if that's what they believe."

Fourth year Adrienne Carmona is Catholic, but has her doubts about the statue's place at a public university: "Honestly, I'm proud of my religion, but I don't think it is necessary to emphasize it that much. If we were an affiliated university, by all means, but I don't think this is the right place to be having it."

Other students admire the statue for its artistic rather than religious value. "I am more interested in the art, and the building process of the statue. Of all things, it's a very nice piece of art," said Solomon Bahta, a UIC graduate student. "I'm really glad they brought it here for us to enjoy."

The statue will remain on campus until September 19th.