"In 1992 Pope John Paul II gave a special blessing to NMCAH" |
Dear Friends in Christ,
Happy Springtime 2008!
It was springtime 16 years ago when I visited Vatican City with an International Polish artist named Jan Sawka in a diplomatic audience with
Pope John Paul II. We presented a special piece of artwork for Pope's birthday on May 18, 1992.
It was a very beautiful drawing of the Holy Father with a crowd of young people behind him as he walkedthrough a large opening of the new broken Berlin Wall.
It waspublished in the New York Times and the Berlin Wall was dismantled in1989. It was a great worldly accomplishment with the help of both Pope John Paul and President Ronald Reagan.
I had a personal interest because my mother's ancestry was German, Czechoslavikan and we were Roman Catholic. In the early 1990's, I began collecting religious artworks and had this wonderful
opportunity to present to Pope John Paul II withthis unusual piece of art and most timely political gift.
My vision was to build the first major Catholic museum in the US. I asked Pope John Paul II for a blessing to establish the first
"NationalCatholic Museum" in the US. After 16 years of struggle, success, help from a wonderful Board of Trustees, great benefactors, grants, artists,
organizations, business's and devoted patrons, we have achieved a beautiful museum. We are located next to the Our Lady of Mt Carmel Shrine
in historical East Harlem in a thriving Italian, Hispanic and Latin community.
Today our museum has embarked a special religious exhibition to honorthe visit of
Pope Benedict XVI
Washington, DC and New York City this April. On our home page you can see a very special painting of
Pope Benedict XVI.
It is with great pleasure I tell you about a private commission I proposed to one of our gifted artist named Fred Villanueva,
who is a Mexican-American. After reading Pope Benedicts XVI books, I was impressed with his values on theology, the Saints, the Apostles and the Mass.
We began to turn our museum around spiritually to reflect His Holiness's teachings and invite artists to create special works of art in his honor.
Mariavelia Savino, our curator, researched all the Doctors of the Church and then presented a slideshow on the theologians. The artist, Fred did a rendering and we were able to guide him with our thoughts as he created a great masterwork of the
Pope Benedict XVI in Prayer with the Holy Theologians. He did a beautiful job. The painting is 13 feet by 8 feet and will be
a series of three murals to travel this year.
The National Museum of Catholic Art and History's permanent collection has grown in a new direction of collecting major spiritual
and religious artworks from all over the world. Never have I've seen an inspirational religious wave in 400 hundred years of fresh
young artists painting and creating artworks in every style and media. My eyes have the pleasure to view everyday a fury of devout
symbolism of God's message to the general public. It is the beginning of a new Spiritual discovery in this decade.
Donations of art works arrive daily from international artists, art collectors, galleries and loans from museums,
which have been amazing but yet selective. To find and represent the most gifted artists in the world is an unbelievable challenge.
They must paint, sculpt, create or represent the spirit of Jesus, Mary, the Saints, Theologians, and Angels or just plainly tell a story from
the Bible in the highest quality.The most exciting for us is the educationprograms we are creating for the children on art, music,
literature and film on the very best collective materials.
Truly we have "A Museum Built by Angels and now filled with "Gifted Artists" and truly loved by all children who come to visit."
Please visit us soon.
God Bless
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