A new statue dominates the plaza at the Catholic Life headquarters. The sculpture is of Moses, one of the most important religious leaders in world history. Christians, Jews, and Muslims revere Moses as a great prophet and leader. Both the Old and New Testaments refer to him. Even today, Moses continues to influence religious life, moral concerns, and social ethics.
“Moses is the ideal figure to commemorate our 120 years of operations,” said President J. Michael Belz. “He lived to be 120 years old, was a respected leader, and God chose him to proclaim the Ten Commandments.”
“The Commandments provide the moral, spiritual, and ethical compass that guides Catholic Life’s operations. The Commandments affirm our love for a just God and our commitment to faith, family, and financial well-being that honors Him.”
Catholic Life commissioned the sculpture at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Moses did not arrive until November. So, instead of a big event as we had initially planned, we unveiled the statue during a special Mass held on December 10, 2021.
The inspiration for the piece came to sculptor Timothy Schmalz following a conversation with President Belz. For over 25 years, Schmalz has been sculpting large-scale statues, with his works installed worldwide, including at the Vatican.
The bronze statue, which rises 12 feet from the ground, depicts Moses holding the Ten Commandments aloft. Schmalz used a titanium-like substance to give the commandments the prominence they deserve.
“Timothy was instrumental in loaning us the “Angels Unaware” sculpture we displayed during the summer,” Belz added. “That sculpture celebrates immigrants and reminds us of our German Catholic immigrant founders.”
We welcome visitors to come to see the Moses statue.