Summer School

Mary Solberg
08/05/2024

EDINBORO — As Catholic school administrators and teachers from throughout the Diocese of Erie gathered for a leadership conference at the end of the 2023-24 academic year, they enjoyed a surprise bonus: an art immersion experience that even Van Gogh might enjoy. Under the heading of spiritual leadership, educators were challenged to “think outside the box” with a talk by Michael E. DeSanctis, Ph.D., professor emeritus of fine arts and theology at Gannon University and current scholar-in-residence for sacred sites and artifacts at the Jefferson Educational Society in Erie. The talk was followed with an immersive art experience presented by Patrice Swick, who has served as a consultant for the Catholic Schools Office.

          Swick’s presentation, Visio Divina — How to Pray with the Eyes of Your Heart, offered 17 paintings and divine images that the educators were invited to meditate on and prayerfully consider.

          DeSanctis’ talk, titled, Teaching the Shadow of the Cross: The Four Dimensions of the Catholic Classroom, explored the different ways Catholic educators can enhance their teaching by incorporating the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church and great art. 

          “God is beauty and holiness. God is immersed in the world. We Catholics believe

that beauty is a physical manifestation of the truth,” DeSanctis said. He outlined how a Catholic classroom follows a way of Catholic thinking and seeing in four areas: the incarnational, the analogical, the sacramental and the artistic.

          Maria Ehrman, a middle school science teacher at Our Lady of Peace School, Erie, appreciated DeSanctis relating the Catholic faith to the beauty of architecture and art.
          “I have conversations with the kids I teach, so this is getting kids to think outside the box,” Ehrman said.

          Bill Hall, principal of St. George School, Erie, said DeSanctis’ thoughts helped prepare participants to reflect on the pieces of art that Swick offered. Hall’s favorite image was The Annunciation by artist Henry Ossawa Tanner. Like all the images, it had under it a small Scripture reference and a reflection question. The Annunciation painting asked viewers: “What does it mean for you to say ‘yes’ to God today?”

          “It’s a little wild to take all these pieces of art and really dive into it and read the Scripture and explanation of it. It’s very deep, very spiritual, very moving,” Hall said. “Art is not something I spend a lot of time looking at. I don’t go to museums. I’m not an artist. But, man, it really opens up your mind and makes you appreciate just a whole other side of life.”

          Hall said some students are talented in art, so it makes him want to support and encourage that dimension of the educational environment.

          Jim Gallagher, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Erie, is happy his administrative team offered an immersive art experience for the annual conference.

          “We wanted to do something different this year. We try to expose the teachers and administrators to different types of prayer, like the Mass, of course, and lectio divina, adoration, and even digital tools, but this year we wanted to do something that was immersive, to give people an opportunity to choose their own experience. It's about using art for prayer,” Gallagher said.

          Heather Kunselman, principal at Ss. Cosmas and Damian School in Punxsutawney, explained that the picture Divine Innocence by Charles Bosseron Chambers spoke to her the most. It depicts the child Jesus sitting on a bench, praying, with several sticks strewn around his feet. Two of the sticks he had fashioned into a cross.

          “First of all, he’s a child and children are my people,” Kunselman said. “Secondly, when you look at his feet, there’s a mess, but he turned it into a cross and he’s actively praying. It helps you to focus on the good and look at the big picture and not the small details that may grab your attention first, like a mess. It helps to know that God’s in control. He can take a mess and turn it into a good thing.”

          Like Bill Hall, Veronica Seip, assistant principal at Cathedral Prep in Erie, gravitated toward The Annunciation image, saying it reminded her of herself, “waiting for the answers for something.” She added, “This was really an interesting way to pray.”

          The immersive experience set the tone for the three-day educators’ conference. As  Swick added, “Everything should start with prayer, so finding new ways to pray is always something that will benefit any type of work that we do.”

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