While the name James Tissot may not be as famous as fellow French artist Edgar Degas or the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, he was revered by them. For over a century, the Brooklyn Museum has been home to his art. The institution acquired his collection of faith paintings, “The Life of Christ,” in 1900. Last month, the museum began displaying two of the watercolors in a special exhibition to celebrate the museum’s 200th anniversary.
Art
Multi-Talented Music Director Has Ties to Both St. Francis Schools
Michael Fontana has dedicated the past 30 years of his life to producing and directing pastoral music in the Roman Catholic tradition. He also has a rich background in music as a composer — having published his first piece of organ music at the age of 18 — and has continued to compose, with several pieces published last year.
Mural of Williamsburg and Mt. Carmel Feast Graces Parish Hall
Turn left at the bottom of the steps of Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s St. Paulinus Hall in Williamsburg and your eyes are filled with a colorful mural celebrating this Brooklyn neighborhood and the return of the parish’s annual Giglio Feast.
Siblings Use Lego Pieces to Make Scenes of Parish Church, Other Sites
A little creativity with Lego pieces by John and Holly Ostermeier’s six children has yielded a re-creation of the family’s parish church, St. Pius X in Appleton, right down to the altar, candle bank, piano and priest celebrating Mass.
Brooklyn ‘State of Mind’ Infuses Writer’s Urban Fiction
Images of backyard shrines to the Blessed Virgin adorn the pages of many Catholic novelists. They are a place-setting device authors use to plant familiar images in the mind of the reader.
When The Irish Rovers Found ‘The Unicorn’ for St. Pat’s Classic
A magical thing happened in 1968 when The Irish Rovers made the pop chart Top 10 with their recording of “The Unicorn.” And how that came to be is truly a wondrous story.
The Beauty of a Heroic Story Offers Redemption
During the last few weeks, writing this series of columns about how we, along with God, freely create our life stories, has helped me understand my own history better.
Missouri Bishop Uses Social Media Outlets to Highlight Sacred Works of Art
In conjunction with the yearlong renovation and beautification of the Jefferson City Diocese’s Cathedral of St. Joseph, Bishop W. Shawn McKnight is adorning his social media spaces throughout 2022 with “111 Sacred Works of Art.”
Tributes Mark Life, Legacy of Late Catholic Philosopher, Professor, Author
When Alice von Hildebrand wasn’t promoting her late husband’s work, the Catholic philosopher, professor and author spent most of her life “reminding women of the privilege of femininity and the gift of motherhood,” said Rachel Bulman, a blogger and popular speaker.
Artist Deepens Faith by Painting Portraits for Those Suffering Sudden Loss
D. Anne Jones knew she wanted to use her gift of painting portraits to help others in some way. Losing her daughter in 2019, becoming guardian of her granddaughter and moving to a new part of Indiana in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic proved only to strengthen Jones’ faith and her calling.