Gov. Cuomo Moves Forward With Planned Statue For Mother Cabrini, Looking For Location In NYC
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Gov. Cuomo is moving forward with his plan to build a new statue for an Italian-American icon who became a saint.
Mother Cabrini arrived in New York in 1889 and became known as the patron saint of immigrants.
She is also the first American to be canonized by the Catholic Church.
Despite all of that, a New York City program asking the public to vote on influential women deserving a statue snubbed the local icon – even though she was the top vote-getter.
Mayor de Blasio's administration ignored the overwhelming support for the patron saint, instead choosing seven other women, many of whom had half as many votes.
"I feel that the Christian Catholic community is always put on the side and if she had the most votes then what's to question it? Let's go with what the people want," said Ginger Bivona of Bensonhurst.
Gov. Cuomo would then swoop in on Columbus Day to announce the state would commission the statue if the city wouldn't.
On Thursday, the governor appointed a 19-person commission to study proposals for the statue's design and location.
He also announced the state will commit up to $750,000 for the project.
