For Brother Michael O’Neill McGrath, painting is prayer.
For years, the artist and author, known as “Brother Mickey,” has
been sharing his images of saints and their famous sayings in books and
retreats, as well as on prayerful greeting cards illuminated with brightly
colored birds and flowers.
But lately, Brother McGrath, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales,
has been giant-sizing his prayers — in the form of colorful, joy-filled murals
on the walls of churches, a homeless shelter, a Native American school and even
an AIDS relief clinic in Nairobi, Kenya.
“I help people pray as a community and enjoy the meditative
process,” said Brother McGrath. “When we’re going to that creative zone, we are
co-creating with God.”
His latest project, just completed, is at St. John Neumann Church,
an Oblate parish in Reston, where he gave a presentation last year about his
Nairobi trip. That sparked the idea: “Why don’t we do a mural here?” asked Father
Joseph T. Brennan, pastor.
The parish Salesian Spirituality Committee thought a mural
project would celebrate the beauty, hospitality and gentle spirituality of St.
Francis de Sales, the order’s founder, and timed it to take place during the
week leading up to his Jan. 24 feast day.
Brother McGrath embraced the idea and designed the mural around
the de Sales quote, “We should hide our littleness in God’s greatness, and stay
there like a little bird, beneath its mother’s sheltering wing.”
The words speak to both adults and children, who daily traverse
the hallway outside the faith formation office. The mural features bold colors
with pictures of birds, nests and feathers, reminiscent of Gospel pages
illuminated by medieval monks. But instead of quills and inkpots, Brother McGrath
bought six cans of bright latex house paint from Home Depot.
“It doesn’t have to be big and elaborate; I present it as
prayer,” he said. His goal is to help people who may not see themselves as
artists “get past their fears and inadequacy and participate in bringing beauty
into the world.”
The project took place the same week the church hosted about 40 homeless guests as part of Fairfax County’s annual hypothermia program, during which many area churches offer a warm place to sleep, meals and other hospitality during winter’s coldest months.
Homeless guests were invited to join the community in painting.
One of Brother McGrath’s interests is “bringing groups of people together who
normally would not meet,” he said.
The mural engaged parish staff as well as parishioners. The Oblate
Father Donald J. Heet led prayers the first night and documented the mural’s
progress on video. Staff in the faith formation office had front row seats,
watching as the blank wall outside their office bloomed with color. “We all did
a little bit of painting; once you start, it is very soothing,” said Silvia
Bustamante. “Nobody wanted to give back their paintbrush,” added Betsy
Puzzanghero.
The project created an opportunity “for children and adults to
work together and see (the mural) come
alive,” said Mickie Abatemarco, director of faith formation. “The children will
see what they have contributed each time they go by.”
Parish nurse Susan Infeld
painted, even with a “broken wing” after a fall Jan. 1.
“Yes, it was
contemplative,” she said. Wearing a cast “forced me to slow down and mindfully
bow to the process. I very much wanted to have some small part in this
beautiful community project and decided that God loves the broken as much as
the healed, and would surely welcome my heart and my art — no matter how
imperfect.”
That’s exactly the point, said Brother McGrath. “When you are your
true self, you are being who God intends you to be,” he said. “That’s what my
ministry is about.”
Find out more
To learn more on Salesian spirituality, a six-week class
will be offered at St. John Neumann Church, 11900 Lawyers Rd., Reston, at three
times different times: Saturdays, 10 a.m., beginning Feb. 22; Mondays, 10 a.m.,
beginning Feb. 24; Mondays, 7:15 p.m., beginning Feb. 24. Register,
saintjn.org/about/salesian-spirituality/classes-and-events.
