Religious Art on Campus - Our Lady of Good Counsel High School

We are blessed to have many beautiful works of art around our campus. Each of these reflects Good Counsel’s commitment to the Catholic faith.

Please click on the images below to learn more about the artwork that enhances the Good Counsel campus.

The Holy Family

The Holy Family

The statue of the Holy Family, located on the north side of the first floor, was chosen to represent the Xaverian value of Trust. The Father trusted Mary and Joseph with his precious son. Mary trusted Joseph that he would take care of her and her son. Joseph trusted the word of the angel that the child was of the Holy Spirit. This statue conveys a sense of warmth and humanity that is often missing in other representations of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Saint Maximilian Kolbe, whose likeness is located on the south side of the third floor, was well-known for his desire to preach the good news of God’s love everywhere and anywhere that he could. As a missionary, he traveled to Nagasaki, Japan, to establish a seminary there. During WWII, he was sent to Auschwitz, where he volunteered to sacrifice his life so that another man might live. Saint Maximilian Kolbe was chosen to represent the Xaverian value of Zeal.

Our Lady of Guadalupe with Saint Juan Diego

Our Lady of Guadalupe with Saint Juan Diego

The representation of Our Lady of Guadalupe with Saint Juan Diego, located on the north side of the second floor, represents the Xaverian value of Humility. In 1500, Mary appeared to Juan and asked that a church be built in that place, site of pagan human sacrifices. This image miraculously appeared on the poncho that was worn by Juan when he presented roses that had been collected during winter to the Bishop. Today, the poncho still hangs in the cathedral built on that site. Scientific testing cannot explain the origin of the image. Our Lady of Guadalupe is patroness of all the Americas and the unborn.

Saint Katharine Drexel

Saint Katharine Drexel

Saint Katharine Drexel, whose likeness is located on the north side of the third floor, was born in Philadelphia and was the second saint to be born in the United States. During a visit to the Southwest with her family, she witnessed the plight of Native American children who were malnourished and undereducated, prompting her to establish the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. The Sisters eventually expanded their care to other children in need. Saint Katharine was chosen to represent the Xaverian value of Compassion.

Saint Martin de Porres

Saint Martin de Porres

The son of a Spanish nobleman and freed slave woman, Saint Martin de Porres was born in Lima, Peru. A statue representing him is located on the south side of Good Counsel’s second floor. Saint Martin dedicated his life to caring for the poor, the imprisoned and the enslaved. He fed them, clothed them and provided them with medicine. Saint Martin was chosen to represent a very important element of an Our Lady of Good Counsel High School education, the Xaverian value of Service.

Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta

Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta

Our Lady of Grace

Our Lady of Grace

Our Lady of Wisdom

Our Lady of Wisdom

Our Lady of Wisdom, located on the west side of the building, blesses those who enter through the front doors. Our Lady of Wisdom is an original Good Counsel statue that was placed at the school in 1958. This statue is not technically an Our Lady of Good Counsel statue, as Jesus is facing away from Mary. During the 1980’s, the statue was hit by a car and damaged. If you look closely at the statue, you will notice Jesus’s hand has been repaired and Mary’s chin is blemished.

The Grotto

The Grotto

The Chapel's Four Statues and the Stations of the Cross

The Chapel's Four Statues and the Stations of the Cross

The four statues and the Stations of the Cross in the chapel traveled with us from our site in Wheaton. Our Lady of the Rosary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus adorn the alcoves in the front of the chapel. Saint Francis Xavier and Saint Joseph grace the back walls of the chapel. The statues and the Stations of the Cross were hand-carved in Oberammergau, Germany, the site of the re-enactment of the Passion of Jesus (held every ten years). Our brother school, Saint Mary’s Ryken in Leonardtown, MD, also owns and displays the same stations.

The Stained Glass Image of Our Lady of Good Counsel

The Stained Glass Image of Our Lady of Good Counsel

The Stained Glass Image of Our Lady of Good Counsel located in the chapel is an interpretation by artist Charles Z. Lawrence. Rather than looking outward, the Child is looking to His Mother, suggesting to all that we should look to Mary for her counsel and guidance. Jesus holding the collar of Mary’s dress implies the intimacy of mother and child. A copy of this portrayal of the unique characteristics of Our Lady of Good Counsel hangs in our reception area.

Campus Ministry