By REY FLORES
For the last two decades since I rediscovered the Traditional Latin Mass, my Catholic faith has meant that much more to me. Of course the Holy Mass is what really brought me back, but along with that were the sacred art and the sacred music, which somehow I missed out on, having been part of the first generation of children who grew up in the postconciliar era.
I grew up with a weakened, watered-down Catholicism which did exactly what I believed it was designed to do: scatter the flock and undermine the Church. Of course, it didn’t work and tradition has somehow survived and is once again thriving, but not without suffering all kinds of damage.
The sacred art at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago played a huge role in my return to the faith. Sacred art is so powerful, like a little peek into Heaven.
Today, in the fight to re-establish Catholic culture, an organization called Monumental Ventures was founded by acclaimed painter and sculptor Matthew Brooks. The group’s stated intent is to produce public works of Renaissance-style sacred art on a grand scale.
The endeavor’s first planned project is a bronze statue of St. Michael the Archangel to be sculpted by Brooks. The winged statue will stand over 16 feet tall and will depict St. Michael at the dramatic moment of triumph over the Devil.
The plan is that this project will be a public display of faith — an act of worship giving honor and glory to God. Brooks hopes that the statue will bring much-needed graces and blessings to all concerned and invoke St. Michael’s protection and patronage for America. Lord knows we need it!
Brooks tells us that in an era when the institutional Church is still reeling from scandals and criticisms, and coming under fire from so many quarters, “it can be tempting to hide our light under a bushel basket. To be satisfied to just weather the storm. But now more than ever it is vital to act, to be a part of something bigger than our problems.”
Public displays of art are powerful reminders of history and of people who have obviously left a positive mark on mankind. The first two I thought of were the gigantic Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the much smaller, but prominently placed, statue of Fr. Francis P. Duffy in the very secular apex of Times Square in New York City.
Quite honestly I am surprised that the Fr. Duffy statue is still standing, given all the local secularists and atheists and the current socialist mayor of New York.
Brooks’ project is that much more important, given that so many public displays of crosses, crucifixes, and monuments of the Ten Commandments have either been removed or are targets to be removed — thanks to the atheists who are supposedly “offended” by them.
There have also been challenges claiming that if Christian symbolism is permitted on public property, other “religious” organizations should also be allowed to erect monuments — including Satan as Baphomet in Oklahoma and other locations.
That is why I am asking anyone and everyone reading this to support this project as generously as they can. While it is still to be determined where Brooks wants the St. Michael statue to be erected, the definite plan is to have it placed in a prominent public place.
Wanderer readers may remember Brooks’ earlier work featured in this publication in 1999 from his terrific book A Glimpse Beyond the Veil: The Art of Matthew Brooks. Some of his art may actually be in one of your parishes.
Brooks was also a speaker at the 33rd Annual National Wanderer Forum in Washington, D.C., in October 2000 — naturally addressing the necessity of sacred art in our present age.
Contributions can be made by visiting www.monumentalventures.org, and clicking on the blue “Donate to the St. Michael Statue Project,” or by mailing a check to Matthew Brooks at 16 Pitcherville Rd., Hubbardston, MA 01452.
“A grassroots campaign such as this can accomplish great things,” says Brooks. “I just returned from a pilgrimage to Rome during which I was able to spend a few days in Barcelona, Spain. There I was struck by the sheer enormity of the project that is the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family). Regardless of what you think about the work of architect Antonio Gaudi, it is positively inspiring that a Catholic church of that size can be built entirely on donations.”
We can do the same here in America. What’s needed in our present age is epic faith. Join this effort as we raise eyes and hearts heavenward in defiance of the times. Donate what you can, but, even more important, help spread the word. Use social media, your local parish bulletins, connect with friends and relatives. Every bit helps.
The hope is that the St. Michael statue will be the first of many more awesome public displays of our powerful Catholic faith.
Keep this project in your prayers as well. It’s time to work as if everything depends upon us and pray because everything depends upon God. St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle indeed.
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(Rey Flores is a Catholic writer and speaker. Contact Rey at reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
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