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.
In his 1999 “Letter to Artists,” Pope Saint John Paul II said this. “Not all are called to be artists in the specific sense of the term. Yet, as Genesis has it, all men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense,Continue Reading
If God has a plan for each of us, what does it mean to have free will? It is fairly common now for a television series, especially a drama, to have a main story arc that runs through all of its individual episodes. One of the first television shows toContinue Reading
A contemporary interpretation of a traditional icon, “A Synaxis of Archangels.”Continue Reading
Do we treat each other as family? From God’s perspective we are all brothers and sisters but we often fall short in seeing each other that way. The parable of the workers in the vineyard offends our sense of justice and fairness. Why should the worker who worked only forContinue Reading
There is an old story about two pilgrims traveling to a monastery high up in the mountains of Tibet. A storm was approaching and they made their way as quickly as possible along the narrow and treacherous paths. While negotiating one such path they heard a voice calling out forContinue Reading
Is there value in suffering? Much of the world would say no. In 1978 the election of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla to the papacy rocked the world. He was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years and the youngest pope since 1846. At the age of 58 he was also oneContinue Reading
In the Apostles Creed the Church professes the belief that when Jesus died upon the cross He descended into Hell. That idea may make some people uncomfortable. But it is an ancient belief that Jesus descended into Hell not as a victim, damned for all eternity, but as a conqueringContinue Reading
How great and tender is a mother’s love? How many lessons do we learn from them? A young girl once came to her mother for advice. The daughter had graduated from school with honors, but was having difficulty in her career. Every time she tried to move forward, it seemedContinue Reading
Robert Louis Stevenson once told a story about a storm tossed boat. It was night and the waves brought the boat dangerously close to a rocky shore. The wind threatened to drive the boat to destruction on to the rocks. The passengers were confined below decks while the crew struggledContinue Reading
Somewhere around the year 1122 AD, Benedictine artist/monk Roger of Helmarshausen, under the pseudonym Theophilus, wrote a treatise on artistic crafts titled ON DIVERS ARTS. It is the oldest surviviving manuscript on the arts written by a practicing artist. It describes 12th century techniques in painting, glass, and metalwork. ThisContinue Reading