Art, Local

St. Charles welcomes portrait of its patron saint

Mark Holan | Special to the Catholic Herald

St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington commissioned this portrait of its namesake by artist Henry Wingate. MARK HOLAN | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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From left, Fr. Donald J Planty, Jr., pastor, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge and artist Henry Wingate of Madison pose April 29 on the altar of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington with Wingate’s new portrait of the patron saint. MARK HOLAN | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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A reception at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington followed the April 29 formal presentation and discussion of the new portrait of its patron saint. MARK HOLAN | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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A 16th-century Italian saint perhaps has interceded on behalf of the 21st century golden anniversary of the Arlington diocese.

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge asked for the intercession of St. Charles Borromeo (1538-1584), a cardinal and Archbishop of Milan who helped lead the Counter Reformation and develop the church’s seminary system, at a “Clarity of Faith” event at the Arlington parish named in his honor April 29.

The evening event, part of a series in the three-year preparation for the Diocesan Golden Jubilee in 2024, included a discussion of the saint’s life, a concert of 16th-century sacred and secular vocal and instrumental music, and a presentation of a new painting of the saint by Madison artist Henry Wingate.

St. Charles Borromeo is the patron of the Arlington church and three dozen other similarly named U.S. Catholic parishes. A dozen seminaries worldwide are named in his honor including St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, where Father Donald J. Planty Jr., pastor, and Bishop Burbidge attended. Bishop Burbidge also served as rector there. “I have a personal devotion to St. Charles,” Bishop Burbidge said.

In Wingate’s oil painting, the saint wears a cardinal’s robes of brilliant Cadmium scarlet and Alizarin crimson. His hands are clasped in prayer, his eyes gaze upwards in a right-facing profile. Thus, the church will install the painting to the left side of the large, suspended crucifix in its sanctuary, a saintly reminder to keep our eyes on the Lord’s passion. The timing of the installation is still being determined.

The profile pose is historically typical for images of St. Charles, said Father Planty. It also emphasizes his “prominent schnoz,” the priest deadpanned to chuckles from the audience.

The portrait was commissioned by Father Planty and sponsored by the Rick and Kate Frantz family, former parishioners of St. Charles who have since moved away from Virginia.

For the first year leading up to the jubilee, the theme “Remember” recalls Christ’s commission to “Do this in remembrance of me,” and invites all members of the diocese to recall its past with gratitude. An art and music subtheme is part of the diocesan effort to find “creative ways to help people draw close to the Lord and to remember his promise to always be with us,” Bishop Burbidge said.

He hopes to renew and reenergize the commitment “to share our faith in the midst of the secular world.”

First year “Remember” activities commenced in November 2021 and run through the Nov. 30 feast of Christ the King. Upcoming cultural events include a May 21 festival at St. John the Evangelist Church in Warrenton, featuring a revue by the Torch Drama Club and Spanish and Irish music, and a Sept. 11 architecture talk about the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria, followed by a concert of sacred music drawn from the American colonial period.

Sacred art and music are rooted in the incarnation, Father Planty said during a conversation with Wingate as part of the program. The priest reminded the audience that paintings and statues of Jesus, the Blessed Mother and other holy men and women help focus and inspire Catholics, who worship the truth of the persons, not the images.

“Material things can mediate the spiritual,” he said. And because most of these items are blessed, they are also sacramentals.

Father Planty added that vocal music is the highest expression of sacred art, since words of Scripture are incorporated as lyrics.

“He who sings prays twice,” St. Augustine purportedly said, while Ephesians 5:19 reads, “Address one another in psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”

St. Charles, during his years as an advisor to his uncle, Pope Pius IV, hosted “Noctes Vaticanae,” or “Vatican nights,” which featured artworks, music and spiritual readings to foster the faith, Father Planty said.

Father Joseph Rampino, parochial vicar at Queen of Apostles Church in Alexandria and another alum of St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia, served as emcee for the evening.

Kenny Kohlhaas directed the schola of singers: Emily Mason, Maria Brock, Katherine Fields, Christine Connor, Allan Palacios Chan, Andrew Brown, Dylan Gallagher and Anthony Smitha.

The string quartet featured William Tortolano and Ruth Erbe, violin; May Ann Tortolano, viola; and Michelle Keenan, cello.

Holan is a freelancer in Arlington.

Find out more

For more upcoming events for the Diocesan Golden Jubilee, go to arlingtondiocese.org/jubileehome.

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