Father Duffy in Times Square

 The statue of Father Duffy is located at the center of Times Square. It is quite hard to not notice this statue despite the overwhelming amount of neon signs shining from all angles. The people in Duffy Square are almost forced to look at the statue because of the attention it commands. The placement of this statue definitely reflects the importance placed on it by those who approved its installation;it is a large marble statue in the heart of Times Square standing separately from the shadows of any buildings. The plaque to the left of the statue explains who this person was and his relevance to New York; Father Duffy was once a priest and military chaplain in the Times Square area. On the back of the statue, there is a list of his dates as well as titles, honors, and events Father Duffy is associated with to properly inform onlookers of his purpose here.

Times Square is one of the most crowded areas in New York City that attracts tourists from around the world and usually repels New York residents. Therefore, the intended audience might not be New Yorkers and instead people from elsewhere. Moreover, because of the information included on the plaque, this statue is political not just religious. While stopping to observe others interact with Father Duffy, I felt that it was this statue was installed to oversee Times Square. Instantly, I was reminded of Dorothy Day’s political context during the Red Scare. Surely the feeling elicited from Father Duffy’s presence is not the same feeling of paranoia abundant throughout the McCarthyist time period, but still the feeling of being watched remains. Although the intended purpose of the Father Duffy monument might not be to overlook Times Square and instead educate foreigners, the presence of the statue implies otherwise. Without the statue present, tourists are focused instead on the lights, signs, and attractions at Duffy Square. With the statue, the energy of the crowd is directed towards Father Duffy and his Catholic association. If Times Squares is the first place a tourist might visit while in New York, Father Duffy might be the first encounter of a specific religion, Catholicism, present and therefore introduce Catholicism as the predominant or historical religion that has shaped New York. This might also produce implications that this religion is what’s embraced by the society or moreso by the government.