St. Francis Among the Wheat

36”x48”

St. Peter, Bethsaida, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee (1B.C. - A.D.67)

48”x48”

One of the twelve Apostles known as Simon Peter, a Galilean fisherman.  St. Peter is regarded as the first Pope and founder of the Roman Catholic Church.

St. Francis, (1181-1226)  & St. Clare, Assisi, Italy (1194-1253)

48”x60”

Francis gave up a life of luxury to rebuild the Christian Church.  He set out on a mission to restore the original values of Jesus to the church as he embraced Christ-like poverty, and extraordinary love of people, nature and animals. Influenced and inspired by the life of her close friend Francis, Clare gave up her wealthy upbringing to live a life of poverty and devotion to God.   She established the second order of St. Francis and was the founder of the Order of Poor Ladies (the Order of Saint Clare.)

St. Nicholas of Myra, Turkey (270-343)

48”x48”

A devout Christian bishop who secretively provided for the poor and needy through the use of his inheritance. Known for his generosity and love of children, St.Nicholas is the inspiration for the modern day Santa Claus.

St. Philomena, Corfu, Greece (291-304)

48”x48”

From early childhood, Philomena, a Greek princess, had Divine vision. Refusing to marry the Emperor Diocletian at age thirteen, she offered her life in devotion to Christ and was martyred.

Blessed Carlo Acutis, Milan, Italy (1991-2006)

36”x48”

With a special love for God and modeling himself after the Saints, Carlo a devoted Christian teenager, created a website dedicated to cataloguing Eucharistic Miracles around the world.  He defended those who were bullied, provided for those experiencing poverty, and helped elderly and disabled people in his community.

Mary, Mother of Jesus, Nazareth

Mary, the blessed mother of Jesus, was a first-century Galilean Jewish woman who gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem.

St. Joseph (Giuseppe) of Cupertino, Italy (1603-1663)

A simple man with extraordinary faith that resulted in levitation upon prayer. Giuseppe found great joy in tending to and caring for the animals at the Friary.

St. Martin de Porres, Peru (1579-1639)

Born to an African slave and a Spanish nobleman, Martin became a lay brother of the Dominican Order. He is noted for his work on behalf of the poor where he established an orphanage and children’s hospital. His life reflected extraordinary gifts which included miraculous cures and a remarkable rapport with animals.

St. Francis of Assisi, Italy (1182-1226)

One of the most loved saints in history, Francis gave up a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity. He was inspired to live a life of poverty and founded the Franciscan order.  His brotherhood with the world and profound love of all of God’s creation led to his writing of the Canticle of the Sun.

St. Cecilia Rome, Italy  (2nd or 3rd Century)

Cecilia who was born into a wealthy Roman family expressed her love of God through music. She converted to Christianity and devoted her life to providing proper burials to martyred Christians. Her ministry and devotion led to her martyrdom.

St. Isidore The Farmer, Madrid, Spain (1080-1130)

A devout but poor Spanish farm worker who spent countless hours absorbed in prayer, Isidore had a particular love and devotion to the poor as well as a great concern for the proper treatment of animals. Legend tells us that angels performed his chores in the fields while Isidore prayed.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, Poland (1894-1941)

A Polish Franciscan friar, Maximilian was active in the resistance to the Nazis during the German occupation and was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp where he volunteered to die in place of a stranger who pleaded for his life to be spared.

St. Gertrude of Nivelles, Belgium (626-659)

Known for her generosity to the poor and the sick, she served as the convent’s superior and was especially hospitable to orphans, widowers and travelers seeking safe lodging, including cat’s, mice and all of Gods creatures in need.

St. Anthony of Padua, Italy (1195-1231)

Of Portuguese descent, Anthony joined the Franciscan order and was noted for his powerful preaching and expert knowledge of scripture. When his words fell on deaf ears, an audience of fish rose from the water to hear his sermon.

St. Lucy of Sicily, Italy (283-304)

A Christian martyr during the Diocletian Persecution. Lucy was known to bring food to Christians in hiding while wearing a wreath of candles around her head to light the way in the dark.

St. Therese of Lisieux, France (1873-1897)

Labeled “the little flower,” Therese found immense love of all things in her selfless and approachable path to faith and spirituality. “What is important is not doing great works, but doing little things with great love.”

Thea Bowman,  Mississippi, United States (1937-1990)

Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman pioneered the rights of African Americans in the Catholic church.  She worked for social justice and racial equality among all people.  The granddaughter of slaves, she fought racial prejudice and made major contributions to the ministry of the Catholic Church  as a teacher, musician, liturgist and scholar.

Dorothy Day,  United States (1897-1980)

An American journalist, activist and tireless campaigner for social reform and alleviation of poverty. She was a co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement.  “We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.” This “Servant of God,” is hailed as “a saint for our times.”

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Tepeyac, Mexico  Mexico

Also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe, the name refers to the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1531.

St. Oscar Romero, El Salvador (1917-1980)

Archbishop of San Salvador, who spoke out against poverty, social injustice, assassinations and torture amid a growing war that destabilized much of Central America. Distinguished by his attention to the poor and marginalized, his life was taken as he delivered a sermon concerning the government’s repression and violation of human rights.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha Native American  (1656-1680)

Born of a Mohawk Chief and Algonquin mother, Kateri was exiled from her native community after converting to Christianity. She was known for her steadfast devotion, becoming the first Native American to be beatified.

St. Josephine Bakhita, Darfur, Sudan (1869-1947)

Sold into slavery at the age of seven, Josephine endured a life of degradation and abuse. Despite her circumstances, she developed a widespread reputation for her immense love of God. “Seeing the sun, the moon, and the stars, I asked myself who could be the Master of these beautiful things? And I felt a great desire to see Him, to know Him, and to pay Him homage…”

St. Patrick of Ireland (385-461)

Patrick used the shamrock to teach the nature of the Holy Trinity. He was abducted by Irish raiders from his home in Roman Britain (Scotland) at age sixteen and carried into slavery. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spain (1491-1556)

Founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order)His life as a valiant soldiers changed when injured by a cannonball in a battle at Pamplona in 1521.  During his recuperation, he found himself intrigued by the lives of the saints and was  drawn to dedicating his life to God’s service.  Aside from founding the Jesuits, one of his great contributions was the publication of his Spiritual Exercises, a manual devised for the spiritual formation of his followers.

Nano Nagle, Cork, Ireland (1718-84)

Known as “the Lady of the Lantern,” Nano devoted her life to the poor.  She was a pioneer of Catholic education and despite Penal Laws, established and operated seven Catholic schools for children in Cork, Ireland.  She founded the Presentation Sisters Order who continue her mission around the world and was declared Venerable in 2013.

Saint Mark Ji Tianxiang (1834-1900) Hebei, China

48”x60”

A Chinese physician who tirelessly served the poor.  He developed stomach issues in his 30’s and treated himself with one of the common medicines of that time, opium. He became addicted to the drug, which became his lifelong struggle.  Still, Ji maintained his very strong faith, spending time in prayer, and attending daily mass.  Because of his addiction, Ji was denied the sacraments, yet he remained faithful and continued to attend daily mass. He died a martyr, during the anti-Christian persecutions of the Boxer Rebellion.

St. Mary Our Lady of the Isle, Nantucket, MA

30”x40”

This original painting was created to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Ordination of Fr. John Murray, Pastor of St. Mary's, Our Lady of the Isle. Limited prints available.

Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Italy

36”x48”

A Dominican friar, mystic, theologian, and philosopher who was considered one of the greatest minds in the history of the Church and is best known for his works on the integration of faith and reason. He addressed philosophical problems, including the question of God's existence, and the relationship between reason and faith.

St. Oscar Romero

48”x60”

Commissioned painting by St. Cecilia’s Church, Boston MA

St. Damien of Molokai (1840-1849) Belgium

Father Damien devoted his life to missionary work among the lepers of Hawaii bringing hope, consolation, and encouragement to those who were exiled on the island of Molokai. He built a community for the hopeless as he doctored their bodies and souls until he also contracted the disease.

Venerable, Fr. Augustus Tolton (1854-1897) African/American

Born into slavery, Augustus Tolton escaped to freedom with his mother and siblings, crossing the Mississippi River from Missouri to Illinois in a rowboat. With great faith, hope, and love he pursued his education and endured as a pioneer despite hostility, harassment, and discrimination. Eventually, he was ordained the first African-American priest in the U.S. Catholic Church.

Sr. Dorothy Stang (1931-2005 ) American-born Brazilian member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur

Worked tirelessly in the Amazon Basin of Brazil on behalf of the rural poor and the environment defending the rainforest from depletion and deforestation by agriculture. Sr. Dorothy was assassinated by criminal gangs who worked for wealthy ranchers exploiting the land. She was referred to as the "Angel of the Amazon."

St. Columbkille (521- 597) Ireland-Scotland

Before the age of 25, St. Columbkille had founded twenty-seven monasteries as well as established forty churches in Ireland. One of the three great saints of Ireland, he established the first mission to bring Christianity to Scotland along with twelve companions, and was known as the “church’s dove.” A gifted man of many talents, St. Columbkille wrote poetry, music, and illuminated manuscripts.

St. John the Evangelist Bethsaida, Galilee, Roman Empire (c. 6 AD - c.100 AD)

36"x48"

John, known as the "beloved disciple," was one of the twelve Apostles.  He played a leading role in the early church and is credited with contributing to Jesus' Glory in the Gospels.  John a former fisherman, is usually thought of as the eagle of theology and was given the honor of caring for Mary upon the death of Jesus.

St. Margaret of Castello (1287 - 1320) Florence, Italy

36”x36”

Born dwarfed, crippled, blind, and hunchbacked, Margaret was rejected by her noble parents who secluded her from society.Eventually she was completely abandoned and left to fend for herself. Her trust in God was extraordinary and she lived a life of hope and great faith with a deep understanding of forgiveness and charity which she lived out as a Dominican tertiary.