ICON OF THE ANNUNCIATION

This is the second image in the series. It's the Annunciation to the Virgin of the Divine plan. Gabriel's right hand shows only three fingers because it forms the name of Jesus Christ in the manner of the Orthodox priestly blessing. His fingers form the name for he is both pronouncing it and conveying the blessing but it is hidden because as yet the Virgin is the first human to hear it. His left hand holds the staff os his office as a messenger and servant of the Most High. 'Full of grace' he calls her. She who is sinless and devoid of any evil, is also full of merit and virtue. She is as humanity was meant to be and she through her 'yes' opens the way for what humanity will become. The little spool of thread in her hand is a reference both to the garment without seam that she will weave for her son but also to her weaving a body for him from her own flesh. From the very top of the icon the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove with rays of light flashing forth. He descends at the Virgins and as once He hovered over the waters at the creation of the Earth so He comes to dwell in her who is to be the Mother of God. The Virgin, in traditional inner blue and out purple, stands to receive God's message. The blue denotes her sanctified human nature while the purple refers to the Divine glory that overshadows her. He 'yes' makes our 'yes' possible. In this moment the road to Calvary and the empty tomb are opened. Her heart will be pierced by a sword of sorrow because it is utterly open to the will of God. One small note: the lights on Gabriel's robe are sometimes called 'lyric lights' as if the very poetry of his being were shining through his clothes.

ICON OF THE NATIVITY OF THE VIRGIN

Some years back two of my fellow Capuchins and I made a pilgrimage to Mount Athos, the heart of Orthodoxy. We visited the monasteries of Xenophontos, Gregoriou, Dionysiou, Paulou, and the skette of Ayia Anna. It is a place to which we would like to return one day. While there and in Thessaloniki I collected as many prints of icons as I could and among my collection there are packs of postcards featuring icons. This is the birth of the Virgin. The virgin appears as a baby in the bottom left as she is prepared for her bath and in her crib at the feet of her mother, St. Anne. At the bottom right a young girl is weaving. St. Anne is the chief character of this icon robed in red and contemplating the extraordinary events that have accompanied the birth of her daughter. Behind her she embrace Joachim her husband ad reference to the conception of the Virgin. To the upper left Joachim is in prayer while at the top right the angel comes to tell him of God's favourable answer. Facing St. Anne the ladies approach with spools of thread and food near a table with seems set for a meal. The spool like the distaff in the hands of the girl at the lower right is a symbol of Anne's having 'woven' the flesh of Mary in her womb (Ps. 139). This icon celebrates the faith and courage of those who prepared the way for our Saviour. These are the grandparents of Christ and their struggles made the conception and birth of the Virgin possible which in turn led to the Incarnation of the Word. Christ was not born in vacuum but into the history of a family and a people, into the history of the world. God does not stand aloof. You will always find Him in the lowest place.

IMAGES OF THE KOREAN MARTYRS

I came across these while cleaning up my room. I think I brought them with me when we closed our house in Blanchardtown. These are some of the Korean Martyrs. Beautiful paintings of people who lived beautiful lives and died heroically.

St. Chong Ha-sang Paulus

St. Hyon Song-mun Carolus

St. Kim Song-u Antonius

St. Kim Tai-gon Andreas

St. Nam Chong-sam John B.

Sts. Chon Kyong-hyob Agatha, Pak Hui-sun Lucia, Kim Yuirdae Julietta

Sts. Chong Chong-hye Elisabeth, Yu So-sa Caecilia, Chong Ha-sang Paulus

Sts. Kim Hyo-im Colomba, Kim Hyo-ju Agnes

Sts. Yu Chin-gil Augustinus, Yu Tae-chol Petrus

CAUSES OF THE SAINTS: A REMINDER OF OUR CALLING

From the VATICAN NEW SERVICE:

The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and authorised the promulgation of decrees concerning the following causes:

MIRACLES

- Servant of God Mariano Arciero, Italian diocesan priest (1707-1788).

- Servant of God Jean-Joseph (ne Alcide Lataste), French priest of the Order of Friars Preachers and founder of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Dominic of Betania (1832-1869).

- Servant of God Maria Ines-Teresa of the Blessed Sacrament Arias Espinosa (nee Manuela de Jesus), Mexican foundress of the Poor Clare Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and the Missionaries of Christ for the Universal Church (1904-1981).

- Servant of God Hildegard Burjan, German laywoman and foundress of the Sisters of Social Charity (1883-1933).

MARTYRDOM

- Servant of God Salvio Huix Miralpeix, bishop of Lleida, Spain, killed in hatred of the faith in 1936.

- Servant of God Karl Lampert, Austrian diocesan priest and pro-vicar of the apostolic administration of Innsbruck Feldkirch, killed in hatred of the faith in 1944.

- Servants of God Josefina Martinez Perez of the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, and twelve companions, killed in hatred of the faith in 1936.

HEROIC VIRTUES

- Servant of God Giovanni Marinoni (ne Francesco), Italian professed priest of the Order of Cleeks Regular Theatines (1490-1562).

- Servant of God Jose Maria Garcia Lahiguera, archbishop of Valencia, Spain, and founder of the Congregation of Oblate Sisters of Christ the Priest (1903-1989).

- Servant of God Matthew Kadalikattil, Indian diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1872-1935).

- Servant of God Raffaele Dimiccoli, Italian diocesan priest (1887-1956).

- Servant of God Sofia Czeska-Maciejowska, Polish foundress of the Congregation of the Virgins of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1584-1650).

- Servant of God Maria Giuseppina Benvenuti (nee Zeinab Alif), Sudanese professed religious of the Order of St. Clare (1845/46-1926).

- Servant of God Laura Meozzi, Italian professed religious of the Institute of Daughters of Our Lady of Help (1873-1951).

- Servant of God Luigia (Gina) Tincani, Italian foundress of the Union of St. Catherine of Siena of the Missionary Sisters of Schools (1889-1976).

I was just going to highlight the Poor Clare but then I thought that in heaven there are no distinctions; a saint is a saint and an inspiration and a challenge if we have ears to hear and a heart open to believe.

ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE FIORETTI BY F. CAYLEY-ROBINSON

In 1915 the publisher T.N. Foulis published Cardinal Manning's translation of the Fioretti or 'Little Flowers' a famous early Franciscan collection of Stories about Francis, Clare and the early Franciscans. It was illustrated from the works of F. Cayley-Robinson (1862-1927).  While moving and sorting our library I found a tattered copy of this work and decided to scan the images so I could share them with you.  We might remove them from the book and get them framed.

Below are the illustrations:

FOUR ICONS, GURRANABRAHER, CORK

Below are four icons I painted for the parish of the Ascension, Gurranabraher, Cork while I was a deacon there in 1999. The first, of Christ enthroned, is based on a work of Emmanuel Tzanes (1610-1690) and it's in the basement chapel. The other three of Christ Pantocrator, the Virgin Orans and the Holy Trinity (after Rublev) are in the oratory in the presbytery so are not often seen by anyone but the clergy.

They're a bit big for the oratory - I guess my enthusiasm ran away with me.  I took a few too many liberties in my treatment of the Holy Trinity (ok I got carelss).  I still plan to return to that image somewhere else and do a better job.

Painting an image which seeks to be faithful to the original and is at the same size has this extraordinary effect - it's like standing in the same space as the other painter, as one where looking not just over his shoulder but through his eyes. 

SOME WORK BY RICHARD KING (1907 - 1974)

Below are a number of postcards I have from years back.  They are of the work of the Irish artist Richard King.  We actually have quite a few of his works stored away as he was a regular contributor to the Capuchin Annual.

Richard King was born in Castlebar in 1907. His father was a sergeant in the Royal Irish Constabulary. There was an artistic streak in the family. His uncle, Brian King, was a sculptor. Richard attended the De La Salle College in Castlebar before his family moved to Westport in 1922, where he completed his education with the Christian Brothers.
When the family located to Dublin in 1926 he became a student at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, planning to study architecture. Austin Molloy, a tutor at the college, felt his artistic talent lay in a different direction.
He introduced him to Harry Clarke, the most significant Irish stained glass artist of the 20th century. King joined Clarke’s studio. On Clarke’s death in 1931, he became its chief designer, and later manager. In 1940 he set up his own studio in Dalkey.
Examples of King’s stained glass are mainly to be found in Ireland, though he also features in the UK, Australia and the US. In her article, Ruth Sheehy concentrates on his work in St Patrick’s Church, Newport, and in the Church of Our Lady, Help of Christians in Swinford.
King’s artistic achievements were not confined to the genre of stained glass. He was versatile. In the early years of the new Irish state our postage stamps were noteworthy for the quality of their design. Between 1933 and 1949, King provided designs for 12 stamps, including a hurling one in 1934 to mark the Golden Jubilee of the GAA. He was the leading illustrator for the Capuchin Annual. He exhibited paintings in Dublin and Cork.
He is, however, best known for his interest in liturgical art. The theologian, Paul Tillich, once wrote that it ‘is the task of the Church architects to create places of consecration where people feel able to contemplate the holy in the midst of their secular life’. As an architect of stained glass and a creator of church paintings, King implicitly devoted himself to this aim.
King’s paintings of the Stations of the Cross in Swinford are a striking impression of his artistic talent. Here he was especially influenced by the Spanish artist, El Greco, and the French artist, Georges Rouault, both noted for their dramatic representations of Jesus Christ. The stations concentrate intensely on Christ’s physical and psychological sufferings as he endured his passion. They give a close-up view, vigorously expressed by the use of strong contrasting colours such as reds, blues, yellows and whites.

Fr. Kevin Hegarty in the Mayo News.


They are in order of descent: Sts. Patrick, Bridget, Columcille, Columba, Fiacra, Senan, Lorcan (Lawrence) and Ita.

I hope you find them  interesting.