Dear Mom,

Certainly it is respectful to place the Blessed Mother's statue and such in any room of the house as long as you are respectful with regard to such placement. Remember that the statues are merely reminders of the saint and our Lord. We do not give the statue any special reverence. The statue of a religious saint or our Lord is the same in importance as a picture of a family member. Do you have concerns about having your wedding pictures in your bedroom? I am sure you do not. How do you feel about pictures of the children or relatives placed in your bedroom? Many times we can become confused about where statues and holy cards fall within our understanding of reverence. These spiritual visual aids are merely meant to help us meditate upon the life of the saint etc. that the statue depicts. The Blessed Mother is our mother in every sense of the word. She cares for us and because she was human she understands us in the way a mother would. She leads us to Jesus and she desires that we come to a greater understanding of His love for us.

I admire your desire to understand the place statues etc. have in our religious life. It is always a beautiful witness when one desires to grow in faith. I have found that the devotion of the rosary is a great blessing for our family.

I have my family altar in the living room. This is the room where we read, talk, play games, and gather in each other's company. It reminds us that Jesus and His Mother are with us always.

Rita Munn