HAVERHILL -- All Saints Parish in Haverhill became the first Catholic church in the U.S. to house a copy of Life Monument, a pro-life sculpture by world-renowned Catholic artist Timothy Schmalz, in a dedication ceremony on May 10, Mother's Day.

After a bilingual Mass celebrated by Parochial Vicar Father David Pineda, and Marian hymns sung by the "Little Angels" children's choir (true to their name, the singers wore white robes, wings, and halos), Schmalz and Deacon Peter Richardson unveiled the bronze sculpture to an awestruck crowd. Beneath the veil was Mary, kneeling and cradling the unborn of Christ in her womb. Father Pineda said that the dedication of the statue was a way to honor Mary and how she said "yes" to God.

"Mary's role in salvation is not only a moment in the past, but a continuing witness for all of us," Deacon Richardson said. "She teaches us how to listen to God with open hearts, how to remain faithful in times of joy and sorrow, and how to lead others to Christ. As a loving mother, she continues to intercede for the Church and for each one of us."

The unborn baby, which Schmalz joked was the smallest representation of Jesus he ever sculpted, was surrounded by mirrored steel. He explained that he wanted the steel to serve as a halo around Jesus.

"My deep hope is that this sculpture will be installed around the world and promote the joy of new families and new human beings being brought into this world," he said.

Life Monument, first sculpted in 2022, has become one of Schmalz's most popular works. Copies of it will be installed on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol Building and in front of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The inspiration for Life Monument came to Schmalz in 2019, after he had finished "Angels Unaware," a massive sculpture dedicated to migrants and refugees that was installed in St. Peter's Square. Shortly after finishing that sculpture, he was at work on another commission for the Holy See; a sculpture about human trafficking.

"As I was wrestling and untying these visual knots of these huge problems within our world today, I thought of another epic problem, and that is abortion," he said.

He turned to previous abortion memorials for inspiration. Often, such sculptures portrayed Jesus holding a fetus or weeping for aborted babies. Schmalz wanted to convey a pro-life message in more optimistic terms.

"People know the violence and the damage, and that didn't seem to work for me, as far as sculpture is concerned," he said. "So I thought I'd take a completely different approach to it, and I thought I would have a sculpture that wouldn't show the horror of abortion but show the beauty and sacredness of life and the joy of life."

He wanted the sculpture to be beautiful, so viewers could look at it and be reminded of the beauty of all human life. With the swirling eddies of bronze drapery surrounding Mary's womb, Schmalz likened his work to an abstract sculpture.

"I was very touched by the beauty," All Saints parishioner Elaine Barker told The Pilot.

May 10 marked the end of Barker's four-year quest to get Life Monument installed within her parish. For her efforts, she received a standing ovation from the assembly.

"I am lost for words," she said. "I'm very touched and thankful to God that when he speaks, we listen."

When she first saw the sculpture in OSV News in 2022, she felt God calling to her. Raising the funds to purchase the sculpture would be difficult, but Barker was undeterred. On a pilgrimage to Rome, where she saw a copy of Life Monument in the Church of San Marcello al Corso, she met a benefactor who offered to pay to bring the sculpture to Haverhill. When the sculpture was unveiled, and Bishop Robert Hennessey blessed it with holy water as Knights of Columbus stood guard, Barker was visibly emotional.

"I felt Mary's presence inside of me," she said. "I really, really did. I felt her presence, and I think she was saying 'thank you' to me, but I must say 'thank you' to her, too, for all she's done for me."