I was enjoying a perfectly lovely quiet time of Holy Week retreat at St. Jane House in Minneapolis when i learned the news of the fire at Notre Dame. Even as my heart was breaking, I started to draw on my iPad.
I lead Art and Faith educational tours, and had just visited Notre Dame one gorgeous day last September. I sketched and strolled and stopped for lunch at an outdoor cafe and worked on my sketches.
As an artist of faith, I have always loved Gothic Cathedrals, inside and out. Many fill the pages of my travel sketchbooks. Notre Dame- and her sisters- are more than just churches. They are gateways to beauty and the healing power of the Holy Spirit. We don’t need massive fires to know that the church needs lots of healing and lots of re-building. Bring it on!–
So helpful. I’ve never had the opportunity to visit, but in reflection and meditation I feel a oneness with all the souls through history that emptied their hearts there and recieved strength to go forth and serve in the midst of their struggle.
For me the amazing thing about this fire was the way in which so many different people felt personally affected. Other churches burn also, but this one has a worldwide following