Art & Synodality
“Beauty is one aspect of God that is irresistible. Beauty is God’s visibility.”
October 2021 marked the beginning of a three-year journey of the Church actively listening to and dialoguing with the people of God, discerning the movements of the Holy Spirit within the global Body of Christ. In response to the Global Synod, The Catholic Artist Connection and Discerning Deacons are partnering to provide a prayerful, communal opportunity for Catholic artists around the country to join this conversation. We recognize that art has a unique and crucial role to play in helping people to understand, engage and participate in the Global Synod. In a divided nation and Church, art can serve as a common language, balm and unifying sacramental. The Art & Synodality project was born out of the desire to share the synod with the Catholic world in the most accessible and unifying way possible —through art.
The following is a collection of art created in response to a three-month journey of prayer and reflection in response to the Synod. The pieces reflect the experiences, perspectives, and faith of the artists. They do not necessarily represent the opinions of The Catholic Artist Connection or Discerning Deacons.
What is Art & Synodality?
Explore Visual Art
Click the pieces for a closer look at the art and to read the artists statements and biographies
Explore Poetry
Click the quotes to expand and read the full poem
Explore Music and Live Performance
The art created during the Art & Synodality project reflects the unique perspectives, experiences, and faith of the artists themselves. The pieces were all created in response to the Global Synod. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Catholic Artist Connection and Discerning Deacons.
Click the quotes to listen to music and see full lyrics
Who We Are
The Catholic Artist Connection is a grassroots community of Catholic creatives of all mediums and walks of life. Our mission is to connect and support Catholic artists of all disciplines both professionally and spiritually, through both online resources and in-person gatherings, to ease the loneliness of being a Catholic artist and encourage the creation of art for Christ.
Discerning Deacons is a project fueled by love and fidelity to the Catholic Church. Our mission is to engage Catholics in the active discernment of our Church about women and the diaconate. We embrace the prophetic call and ministry of deacons. We witness the historical and contemporary diaconal ministry of Catholic women. We hope in the Spirit to lead this discernment, renew the Church and heal our world.
Quilt and Stop-Motion Video by Ellen Hughes