The Catholic Sun :: Phoenix Diocesan Newspaper

Sacred art — from the carvings in the Roman catacombs to Giotto’s frescoes and Bernini’s sculptures — has always held a place of pride in the Church. Its beauty inspires and its content catechizes.

The need for good sacred art today is no different than the need in centuries past, said Fr. Thomas Faucher, a pastor, theologian and art commissioner in the Boise Diocese.

“Good art enhances prayer. Bad art hurts prayer,” he bluntly stated at a lecture he gave to the Artist’s Studio Feb. 11 at the Farm at South Mountain.

For decades, this parish priest from Idaho has fought to bring good art into the churches. He has led the renovation at five parishes and has served as a consultant for 10 others.

One of the greatest lessons he’s learned is the need to incorporate local sacred art into the churches.

“I always insist that 10 percent of any money for church work has to go towards local original art,” he said, noting the difficulty that this can bring for smaller parishes with limited means.

The result, though, is often a renewed vibrancy in the faith community.

A local movement

Diane Saunders, a director of the Artist’s Studio and friend of Fr. Faucher, echoed his sentiments. She said that galvanizing the community to produce its own art always has beneficial repercussions.

“Through the community involvement in projects like this, the whole community moves forward and grows in its own relationship to God,” she said.

“The most unexpected people develop such an interest in things like Church history or art. It opens up doors and windows for people,” Saunders said.

As the parishioners become interested and feel a local connection to the piece of art, their knowledge of theology deepens, which can then inform even greater artistic endeavors, she said.

“Art has a theological content,” Fr. Faucher explained. “It’s important for sacred artists to understand where they are theologically.”

This requires guidance from the pastor commissioning the project, but also freedom for the artist, he said. Out of this tension, great art is produced that will strengthen all aspects of parish life.

Saunders is encouraged that there seems to be renewed interest in the Diocese of Phoenix for local art.

“It’s very exciting seeing what the Spirit seems to be doing here,” she said. “It’s just starting to happen.”

She mentioned Bertica Long, a local artist who was commissioned to paint a portrait of the Holy Family for the Charity and Development Appeal prayer card.

She also mentioned Steve Voita, who has painted a mural titled “Salvation’s Family” at St. Timothy Parish in Mesa.

“I’ve watched it at St. Tim’s,” she said. “It worked there, to watch the community grow with the painting as it’s being done. It really pulled people into a deeper relationship with their faith.”

Sheila Green, a local iconographer, undertook two major projects for local parishes. She made the iconostasis — a screen of icons separating the sanctuary from the nave in all Eastern Rite churches — at St. Andrew Byzantine Church in Gilbert.

She also created the crucifix in Our Lady of Mount Carmel church in Tempe along with another iconographer. Though parishes often pay more for a local commission, she said the final product has greater meaning for the community.

“The reason I like working on a commission is that I can know the person or the church. I can be praying for that person or place,” Green said. “I like working for something specific because it gives me a more focused direction.”

On the other hand, creating a work of art for people who know the artist well can be nerve-racking, she said. She was a parishioner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel for 20 years before she made the crucifix.

“I knew a lot of people at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, so I was nervous about their response,” she said. Thankfully, the response has been “positive,” she added.

In Fr. Faucher’s experience, fostering local art nearly always has a positive result. The parish enters into the artist’s endeavor and the Church is left better for it.

“When you’re building the Church for the long run, you’ve got to have good art,” he said.

Andrew Junker/CATHOLIC SUN

Deacon Jim Brett prepares the gifts during Ash Wednesday Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Tempe. He stands beneath the crucifix created by Sheila Green, a local Catholic artist.