Mary, memories, and a tree that lives on

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Decatur; St. John the Baptizer in Bridgeport; and St. Mary in Jacksboro. (FWDioc/Juan Guajardo)

BRIDGEPORT — God’s creative hand, displayed through nature, has a remarkable ability to inspire us. Sunrises, mountains, flowers, oceans, and countless other examples of His artistry are beautiful to behold. 

When we unite our God-given talents with a piece of His creation, something even more extraordinary happens that often stirs our soul. Such is the creative union between God’s work and man’s expertise at St. John the Baptizer Church in Bridgeport. 

Beside the rectory is a sculpture of the Blessed Virgin Mary carved into a tree trunk. The story of how it came to be is as touching as the woodwork itself.  

According to Father Anto Vijayan Carloose, SAC, who has served as St. John’s pastor for four years, the property on which the rectory stands has beautiful trees. The priest’s new home was built next to one especially large, lovely tree. 

The building contractor was longtime parishioner Brandi Schedcik. While overseeing every detail of the project, she was also undergoing treatment for cancer. “She did everything she would do in her own home,” said Fr. Carloose. “She did her best in every corner of the house.” 

Once completed, Schedcik attended Bishop Michael Olson’s blessing of the rectory, and then passed away soon after. Fr. Carloose “wanted to create a memorial for her somewhere near the new building because her personal touch was through the whole house,” he recalled.  

Then, shortly after Schedcik’s death, the big tree on the side of the house also died. Fr. Carloose suggested carving something into the tree in her memory. He consulted with Schedcik’s husband, John, about what she would have liked. “He said she would love Mother Mary,” said Fr. Carloose.

Kevin Roach, a local tree sculptor, was contracted to carve an image of the Blessed Mother. When it was completed, Fr. Carloose celebrated Mass with the Schedcik family and blessed the sculpture. Since then, many parishioners have visited the carving and remarked how much they love it. 

Roach, a self-taught tree sculptor who has been in business for eight years, said he was provided some reference photos of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but was also allowed to add his own touch. Once a design was agreed upon, the physical work to create the eight-foot sculpture took two days. “Most people view a sculpture from about 10 feet away, so this is a little larger than life,” Roach said. “A lot of the features are enhanced to allow for the viewing distance and still get the idea.”

Roach believes that art is a way for people to deepen their faith. “If we look back at the earliest of societies, there's always been sculpture,” he said. “Most of the time it's in the center of town and the center of the community, even down to sculptures carved into the side of a cave.” 

“I think there's something in our genetic makeup, as far as sculpture goes, to help a person discover [things] in themselves, whether it's religion or something else,” he added. “So I do believe sculpture can help a person become more spiritual.”

Regarding this particular sculpture, Roach hopes his artistry inspires viewers “to find a place of peace where they can sit and think,” he said. “Whatever the sculpture is, it has its own driving force to [form] the atmosphere. Each sculpture creates its own environment.”

Fr. Carloose said the tree sculpture conveys an important idea in Christian theology. “I describe it this way: the tree is dead, but living,” he explained. “We die, but we live. So the tree is dead, but lives [in Schedcik’s memory].” 

To view some of Kevin Roach’s sculptures, you can find him on Facebook at https://facebook.com/kevin.roach.3745.