Lawrence Klimecki is a deacon in the Diocese of Sacramento. He is a public speaker, writer, and artist, reflecting on the intersection of art and faith and the spiritual "hero's journey" that is part of every person's life.
“Imperfect Beauty allows the perfect Beauty of God to shine more brightly.” I occasionally come across a writer who describes the beauty of a woman as being more perfect because of a small “flaw” such as a mole or scar or birthmark. This is usually in older books because inContinue Reading
The architecture of the church therefore plays an important role in fostering a full, active, and conscious participation in the sacred liturgy. When it comes to the architecture of a church there is very little in Church teaching to guide us. This accounts for the wide variety in church designsContinue Reading
“Genuine sacred art draws man to adoration, to prayer, and to the love of God, Creator and Savior, the Holy One and Sanctifier.” In examining the specific directives of the Church when it comes to art, we should remember that art, like the music and architecture, is not just somethingContinue Reading
“music is not something added on as ‘extra.’ The music and hymns we sing in the Mass are all part of a holistic celebration.” When it comes to the Liturgy, what does the Church actually tell us about the role of music, and what guidelines does the ChurchContinue Reading
When we talk about art that is appropriate to the liturgy, that is the visual arts of murals, frescos, icons, etc., we refer to the art that serves the liturgy. It may be the paintings and stained glass that help us direct our hearts and minds to the contemplation ofContinue Reading
“Artists need the Church as much as the Church needs artists because it is in the Church that the Artists finds True Beauty and the meaning of their lives.” In November of 2009, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI addressed a gathering of artists from all over the world. In manyContinue Reading
“To all who are passionately dedicated to the search for new “epiphanies” of beauty so that through their creative work as artists they may offer these as gifts to the world.” Pope Saint John Paul II perhaps understood the sensibility of artists better than most pontiffs. He was, after all,Continue Reading
“The Church needs artists because the world needs artists to show it Beauty and to bring hope and joy into the world.” At the close of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pope Paul VI addressed the artists of the world. “We now address you, artists, who are taken up withContinue Reading
“The work of the artist assumes the role of a sacramental…helping us to attain the disposition necessary to receive God’s grace and allow grace to guide us in our work and our lives.” In 1952 Pope Pius XII addressed a group of Italian artists on the occasion of the sixthContinue Reading