Mother Angelica Museum Receives Communion Rail from Her Home Parish

Additionally, Ford-Rigsby donated two lights that formerly hung in the sanctuary at St. Anthony’s to the museum. 

Ford-Rigsby told The Repository that her parents would be “thrilled and proud” to have been able to make a donation to the museum’s collection. 

"When Barbara contacted me, it was such a cool completion of the circle," said Ford-Rigsby. "So many blessings were said at that railing."

The Mother Angelica Museum, which is free to enter, is located at the St. Raphael Center & Bookstore in Canton. It opened in 2020. 

The museum has photos, letters, and other mementos from Mother Angelica’s life, including a statue of the Virgin Mary from her home altar, a “St. Peter” fishing lure that was sold to raise money for the nascent EWTN, and recording equipment. 

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In addition to the museum, Gaskell also operates a “Mother Angelica Tour”, which takes attendees to locations in Canton. St. Anthony’s is a stop on the tour.  

Born Rita Rizzo, the young Mother Angelica attended Mass at St. Anthony’s as a child. At the time, the parish was predominated by Italian emigrants. After experiencing a miraculous healing following a visit from now-Servant of God Rhoda Wise, Mother Angelica prayed a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux while discerning religious life.

She then entered a monastery in Canton before departing for Alabama, where she would eventually found EWTN. 

Gaskell admired Mother Angelica for her candor and wit.

"She was just real," Gaskell said. "She'd just flat-out say it. She was funny. She had a good sense of timing. I don't think a lot scared her. She had a lot of chutzpah. She was like somebody's Italian grandmother.”