News: Philadelphia St Chas. Borromeo Seminary to sell Eakins

Today, Bishop Timothy C. Senior, Rector of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, announced that the Seminary has entered into an agreement with Christie’s for the private consignment sale of five works of art by Thomas Eakins in its collection including:

The Right Reverend James F. Loughlin (1902)
Reverend James P. Turner (1900),
James A. Flaherty (1903),
Dr. Patrick Garvey (1902)
and Archbishop James Frederick Wood (1877).

Most of these portraits feature past faculty members, were gifts to the Seminary and have been in its care for over 80 years.

Last March, Archbishop Chas. J. Chaput announced a plan that focused on the future viability and sustainability of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. The plan calls for the Seminary to consolidate its entire operation.

Mother Teresa visiting the Seminary

This will make the seminary positioned for future growth to support up to 200 resident seminarians, & all non-resident candidates discerning vocations to the permanent diaconate and hundreds of full and part-time students enrolled in the Graduate School of Theology, which offers graduate degrees and catechetical certificate programs for clergy and the laity.

Monsignor Patrick J. Garvey

Unfortunately one of the families whose ancestor was painted, filed suit against this sale, claiming that the portrait of Msgr. Patrick J. Garvey, who served as rector of the seminary from 1898 until his death in 1908, was never actually donated to the institution, but was instead loaned for display there, and should now be returned if it can no longer be displayed at St. Charles.

Share this:

Like this:

Related

Leave a Reply