Priests' art collections on display

Paintings, sculptures, icons, stained glass and even liturgical vestments are included in the collection, which has been assembled from rectories and homes of priests.

The exhibition is on display until March 15 at the Visions Gallery in the diocesan Pastoral Center in Albany.

Art patrons

He has had experience with such displays: While serving at Albany Medical Center, he suggested they arrange an exhibition on the subject of art and healing the sick.

Recently, he was reading a newsletter by Christians in the Visual Arts when an article jumped out at him. "The author wrote that Christians need to get engaged in the culture," he explained. "Even if each Christian bought one good piece of art, that would be something."

Priests' collections

* Rev. Edward Deimeke, diocesan administrative advocate for priests, donated metalwork he got in the Philippines while a military chaplain;

* Rev. Thomas Phelan, pastor of Christ Sun of Justice parish in Troy, lent pieces from England and Spanish colonial art;

* Rev. Christopher Welch, associate pastor of Corpus Christi in Round Lake, chipped in with a piece focusing on the Sacred Heart;

* Rev. Joseph Cotugno, head of the Diocese's formation program for the diaconate, offered icons he commissioned from the New Skete Monastery.

Eclectic grouping

One of the curator's favorite pieces is a unique page from the Bible. Donated by Rev. Alan Jupin, it is an example of movable type created in England at the time of famous 15-century European printer Johann Gutenberg. The page has a mistake, however: Where Jesus' name should be, it reads "Judas" instead!

Each priest who donated works to the exhibit wrote a short explanation of how the art touched them. Father Mickiewicz tried to choose a broad spectrum of art for the display.

Booster shot

"Morale is low," he stated. "There aren't many of us; we're attacked from inside and outside the Church. I saw this [exhibit] as a positive way to highlight our priests. We do see beauty. I thought this might be a way to bolster the morale -- and might be a way to bolster other Christians to go out and buy a piece of art."

("Patronage and Priests" will be on display until March 15 in the Visions Gallery at the diocesan Pastoral Center, 40 N. Main Ave., Albany. For information, call 453-6600.)

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