Photo of the Month - April 2017

Our photo of the month for April is this beautiful statue of Saint Jude. 

The statue is by Philip Lindsey Clark (1889–1977), and was made for the College Chapel at Saint Mary's, Llandeilo, Wales, which was run by the Carmelites. It was then moved to two more Carmelite homes: Allington Castle, and then for the last 20 years it was based in East Finchley. 

Philip Lindsey Clark was born in London. His father was the sculptor Robert Lindsey Clark.

He worked with his father at the Cheltenham School of Art from 1905 to 1910 and then from 1910 to 1914 studied at the City and Guilds School in Kennington. He had a most distinguished war record in the First World War, winning the DSO. At the end of the war he returned to Royal Academy Schools to continue his training and remained there from 1919 to 1921. From 1920 to 1952 he was a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy and from 1921 onwards at the Paris Salon. From 1930 his work became more and more of a religious nature and he became a Carmelite Tertiary. He eventually retired from London and lived in the West Country.

The Prior Provincial, Fr Antony Lester, O.Carm, and his Council, decided that on the closure of the house at East Finchley that the National Shrine of Saint Jude would be a good place to have this beautiful statue of Saint Jude. It is now situated in the Shrine Information Centre amongst the displays on the history of the Shrine for our visitors to admire! All welcome.

With thanks to Fr. Francis Kemsley, O.Carm

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