Mission & Purpose
“None can sense more deeply than you, artist, ingenious creators of beauty, something of the pathos with which God, at the dawn of creation, looked upon the work of His hands.” Pope St. John Paul II, Letter to Artists
These words of Pope St. John Paul the Great, who, like many holy men before him, understood the profound connection between art and faith. In this spirit, and under the guidance of Larry Massey, President of the Scanlan Foundation, Sacred Art Live! was founded in 2022. Its mission is to gather Catholic artists and patrons in a setting that honors sacred beauty and to provide a space where the faithful can encounter, appreciate, and purchase both prints and original works. The event fosters a meaningful exchange between artists and the Catholic community, illuminating the essential role of art in expressing the divine mysteries of our faith.
In line with the call of the New Evangelization, we believe sacred art holds the power to inspire, uplift, and deepen the faith of those who encounter it, drawing all into a more profound connection with our rich Catholic heritage. This event will provide an opportunity for artists and the faithful to join in a shared celebration of the good, the true, and the beautiful.
Sacred Art Live! (SAL) is a parish and school level event designed to help make the great spiritual tool that is sacred art more accessible to art patrons and the general public alike through hosting art shows with modern day sacred artists live and in person. SAL! events are meant to do three things:
1. Connect artists and parishes in a partnered relationship
2. Promote sacred art to parishioners, and if possible
3. To help artists sell their work
The events also have the ability to cross-promote the parish or host facility to the wider catholic community in the area through being a center of this kind of beauty-based outreach.
““At the heart of all healthy societies and cultures is the presence of the GOOD, the TRUE, and the BEAUTIFUL. This triune presence is perfected in the Person of Christ, who is, as He tells us, the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” ”
““Sacred art is true and beautiful when its form corresponds to its particular vocation: evoking and glorifying, in faith and adoration, the transcendent mystery of God—the surpassing invisible beauty of truth and love visible in Christ, who “reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature,” in whom “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” This spiritual beauty of God is reflected in the most holy Virgin Mother of God, the angels, and saints. Genuine sacred art draws man to adoration, to prayer, and to the love of God, Creator and Savior, the Holy One and Sanctifier.” ”