Fr. C. G. Vaillancourt
Not long ago, it was possible to walk down the street and easily identify the homes where Catholics lived. In the suburbs, wherever there was a little patch of grass, there would be a statue of the Blessed Mother, the Sacred Heart, or maybe a Saint. Sometimes they were housed in shrines resembling bathtubs. Sometimes, the shrines actually were bathtubs. In rural areas, it wasn't unusual to see a wayside shrine housing a Crucifix. Even in urban areas, images and statues were placed in windows to proclaim that a Catholic lived there. It wasn't unusual to see those who passed along the way pause for a moment to bless themselves.
If you entered one of these homes, there was never a doubt that you had entered a Christian home. In every room little touchstones of the Catholic faith were integrated with the more mundane objects of day to day life -- a Crucifix, a cluster of statues, prints of favourite saints, votive candles, and rosaries. In fact, these objects were part of day to day life.
In some heavily ethnic neighborhoods, the evidence of outward Catholicism is still present. For the most part, shrines have been replaced with flags and banners, spinning whirly-gigs, or cute cut-out figures of gnomes or frogs. You can be fairly certain that no one blesses themselves as they pass one of these homes. Inside there will be attractive furnishings that glitter and gleam, but it's unlikely that an image of the Sacred Heart will take a place of honour in the centre of the home, nor will there be a Crucifix over every bed. Instead you might find a poster proclaiming the glory of Harry Potter, Barbie or Vin Diesel.
The front yard shrine, like devotional images in the home, is rapidly disappearing from Catholic Canada. Ask why and you'll probably find that they are embarrassed to display these images - that they don't want to offend - or that they simply find other objects to be more important and interesting. Or they have more important things to spend their money on.
Pope John Paul II called for a New Evangelism in the Church - and that means us - the members of the Body of Christ. Does this mean that we must all shout the gospel from the rooftops? Well, some of us may be gifted in that way, but for most of us, evangelism can start in your front yard and with the art you choose to display in your home.
Catholic art in the home also helps us to remember who we are. It reminds us that we are here on earth to carry the message of hope and faith - to our families - to friends - and to those we haven't met yet. It reminds us that life on this earth is short and we should use it profitably to attain our salvation.
How often do we grow impatient with a loved one, and ready to let lose with a string of harsh words or criticism, stop in our tracks when our eyes fall upon an image of the Crucified Christ?
How often do you worry about the health of a loved one, your child's performance in school, or a pile of unpaid bills ... and lifting your head from your hands, find solace in an image of your Heavenly Mother Mary, and recall that all you need to do is ask her to come to your assistance.
Not often at all? Then perhaps you need to think about the objects you've chosen to place in your home.
The warm, welcoming in a home that is obviously Christian can open the doors to many souls, and plant the tiny seed of faith.
Catholic art in the home and garden serves so many purposes. It sustains the culture of Christianity in a world where children believe in magic, but not miracles. Catholic art brings solace, inspiration, and hope where there otherwise might be none. It reminds us to give thanks to our Creator. And it reminds us of who we are - Catholics and Christians - grateful to have been chosen.
Not long ago, it was possible to walk down the street and easily identify the homes where Catholics lived. In the suburbs, wherever there was a little patch of grass, there would be a statue of the Blessed Mother, the Sacred Heart, or maybe a Saint. Sometimes they were housed in shrines resembling bathtubs. Sometimes, the shrines actually were bathtubs. In rural areas, it wasn't unusual to see a wayside shrine housing a Crucifix. Even in urban areas, images and statues were placed in windows to proclaim that a Catholic lived there. It wasn't unusual to see those who passed along the way pause for a moment to bless themselves.
If you entered one of these homes, there was never a doubt that you had entered a Christian home. In every room little touchstones of the Catholic faith were integrated with the more mundane objects of day to day life -- a Crucifix, a cluster of statues, prints of favourite saints, votive candles, and rosaries. In fact, these objects were part of day to day life.
In some heavily ethnic neighborhoods, the evidence of outward Catholicism is still present. For the most part, shrines have been replaced with flags and banners, spinning whirly-gigs, or cute cut-out figures of gnomes or frogs. You can be fairly certain that no one blesses themselves as they pass one of these homes. Inside there will be attractive furnishings that glitter and gleam, but it's unlikely that an image of the Sacred Heart will take a place of honour in the centre of the home, nor will there be a Crucifix over every bed. Instead you might find a poster proclaiming the glory of Harry Potter, Barbie or Vin Diesel.
The front yard shrine, like devotional images in the home, is rapidly disappearing from Catholic Canada. Ask why and you'll probably find that they are embarrassed to display these images - that they don't want to offend - or that they simply find other objects to be more important and interesting. Or they have more important things to spend their money on.
Pope John Paul II called for a New Evangelism in the Church - and that means us - the members of the Body of Christ. Does this mean that we must all shout the gospel from the rooftops? Well, some of us may be gifted in that way, but for most of us, evangelism can start in your front yard and with the art you choose to display in your home.
Catholic art in the home also helps us to remember who we are. It reminds us that we are here on earth to carry the message of hope and faith - to our families - to friends - and to those we haven't met yet. It reminds us that life on this earth is short and we should use it profitably to attain our salvation.
How often do we grow impatient with a loved one, and ready to let lose with a string of harsh words or criticism, stop in our tracks when our eyes fall upon an image of the Crucified Christ?
How often do you worry about the health of a loved one, your child's performance in school, or a pile of unpaid bills ... and lifting your head from your hands, find solace in an image of your Heavenly Mother Mary, and recall that all you need to do is ask her to come to your assistance.
Not often at all? Then perhaps you need to think about the objects you've chosen to place in your home.
The warm, welcoming in a home that is obviously Christian can open the doors to many souls, and plant the tiny seed of faith.
Catholic art in the home and garden serves so many purposes. It sustains the culture of Christianity in a world where children believe in magic, but not miracles. Catholic art brings solace, inspiration, and hope where there otherwise might be none. It reminds us to give thanks to our Creator. And it reminds us of who we are - Catholics and Christians - grateful to have been chosen.
