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Happening ... in the Local Church
 St.
Boniface fifth-grader Kristy Chelius creates a dove on her fresco after
learning about religious symbols in the catacombs. (Photos by Caroline
B. Mooney) |
 Sister
Lenore Schwartz, OSF, and Annette Wilson pause for a photo during the
March art enrichment program. |
 Students
mix up limestone in foil pans before engraving and painting their
religious symbols. |
By Caroline B. Mooney
The
Catholic Moment
LAFAYETTE — Students at St. Boniface School are learning about the Church’s profound influence on art through a three-year art enrichment series developed by parishioner Annette Wilson.
“We have religious art books that have large posters with them,” said school principal Sister Lenore Schwartz, OSF. “We used to have ‘picture ladies’ come into the classrooms and explain each poster. I thought it was all right, but we were really missing a Catholic element in our art program.”
The school teaches fourth- through sixth-grade students.
“Annette had done such a nice job as a ‘picture lady,’ I asked her to help come up with something new,” Sister Lenore said. “We decided on a three-year rotation program because the students are all here for three years. Christian art is so rich and much was preserved in medieval times.
“This project has really been inspired by the Holy Spirit. The people and resources that have become available are just overwhelming. It’s really been a blessing, and Annette has been a blessing.”
Wilson has no art background; it has been a learning experience for her, too.
“I couldn’t find any type of program to buy, so I came up with some ideas to present to Sister Lenore,” she said. She works about 80 hours to come up with each lesson, and says it is all inspired by God.
The three-year rotation began with the art of the Italian High Renaissance, then icons, and this year’s focus is on the history of the Catholic Church through art.
“The point this year is for the children to become art detectives,” Wilson said. “I want them to ask lots of questions and develop informed opinions to discover if art has been inspired by God or if a piece is just something one artist came up with. Learning allows them to defend their faith more and deepen their prayer life and their relationship with God.”
During a Powerpoint presentation, Wilson told the students that a picture is worth a thousand words and it is sometimes easier to remember more by looking at things than by reading.
“Art tells a story,” she said.
In the March program, students learned about the history and religious symbols of the catacombs. A presentation showed how the doctrine of faith, belief in the resurrection, Trinity and sovereign nature of God are shown in symbols throughout the catacombs. Symbols allowed early Christians to identify each other without drawing attention to themselves.
“Catholic history was written using cutting tools and frescoes,” Wilson said. “We wouldn’t know as much about our faith if it had not been written about, symbolically, with frescoes in the catacombs.”
“The art enrichment touches on different aspects of faith areas that the students don’t hear about,” said fifth-grade teacher Michelle Roetker. “It goes deeper than faith and really gets them to ask questions.”
The children mixed up limestone in foil pans and chose religious symbols to engrave and then paint on the limestone.
The anchor is an ancient symbol of hope, courage and confidence. Fifth-grader Julie Delaney chose to include one on her fresco. “I think the classes are a lot of fun — I learn quite a bit,” she said.
“I think it’s cool to experiment with something new every time,” classmate Logan Hack said. “I like doing creative things and I learned a lot.”
“I think it’s fun to learn about things we haven’t seen before,” said fifth-grader Ellee Hancock. “I like doing the art and I also like that you can have your own opinion without being judged.”
Classmate Claire Powell really likes the chance to use art forms from ancient times.
Classmate Kristy Chelius chose to use a dove on her fresco because the bird is her favorite and symbolizes the Christian soul.
“We get to see interesting pictures and it’s fun,” she said. “We give our opinions on all the pictures, on what we like and what we don’t like.”