The artist Timothy Schmalz presented a miniature sculpture of St. Francis of Assisi to the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in the framework of the year in which the 10th anniversary of the encyclical Laudato Si’ and the 800 years of the Canticle of the Creatures are celebrated.

He did so at the end of the interview “The Way of Beauty” in which Cardinal Michael F. Czerny, S.J. also participated, who blessed the work received by the university’s rector, Fr. Fernando Puig.

The image of St. Francis, patron of animals, ecology and peace, is part of a series of sculptures created by the Canadian artist, to represent and reflect on Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical letter on the care of our Common Home.

Art as a bridge to spirituality

During the interview, which was part of the XIV Professional Seminar for Church Communication Offices, various perspectives were explored on how artistic expressions, in their many forms, can become powerful tools to connect with people, transcend cultural and emotional barriers, and generate a lasting impact on the spirituality of the faithful.

Interviewed by the founder and CEO of La Machi Communication for Good Causes, Juan della Torre, a deep debate was engaged between Schmalz and Czerny focused on the transformative role of art as a vehicle to transmit the Gospel message.

One of the central themes of the interview was the relationship between beauty and suffering from a Christian perspective. In this regard, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Michael F. Czerny, S.J., reflected on how beauty and art have the ability to bring us closer to the spiritual level at which we should be praying, even overcoming the limitations of ideas or flat images. In this regard, he said: “We need beauty and sculpture to guide us to a place where we can pray. And since the essence of prayer is listening, then learning to see a sculpture or listening to music is a way of learning to pray.”

In line with this idea, the author of “Angels Unawares,” Timothy Schmalz, highlighted the immense power of art and its transformative capacity. “I think that a work of art is something so powerful that if the perfect sculpture were made it would change the world. So I almost feel that my job as a sculptor is, with my strength and my time, to bring down from this Platonic sphere all those perfect sculptures that could transform and change the world today,” she revealed to the audience.

This commitment to the potential of art is reflected in one of her most iconic works, Let the Oppressed Go Free, in which she depicts St. Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese slave who was freed and found refuge in Italy, and then dedicated her life to faith as a religious sister. The sculpture portrays Bakhita lifting a manhole cover and freeing victims of trafficking.

The creative process as a path to divine inspiration

In another part of the interview, Schmalz spoke about her creative process and revealed how her works evolve organically. “I start with a very simple sketch, then move on to working with clay and allow ideas to emerge during the process,” she explained. In this context, he shared details of his new project, a sculpture by Carlo Acutis, which will include mirrored sunglasses where the face of Christ will be reflected, extending his hand towards him. This detail, he noted, “was not part of the initial design, but emerged after days of work and contemplation.” For Schmalz, this process symbolizes his belief that there are sculptures with the potential to change the world, waiting to be discovered and brought to reality through effort and dedication.

Communication in the Church and its evangelizing horizon

In the context of the Great Jubilee of 2025, the XIV Seminar chose as a focus of conversation one of the essential features of communication in the Church: its evangelizing horizon.

For three days, communicators linked to the Church attended the XIV Professional Seminar for Church Communication Offices, held every two years by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

The event was sponsored by the North American TV network, EWTN, and in collaboration with the Fondazione “Comunicazione e Cultura”, the Rome Reports news agency, the ISCOM association, The Pontifical Mission Societies USA, and the consulting firm La Machi Comunicación para Buenas Causas.

Jubilee of Communication, 2025

The sessions at the Santa Croce took place on the eve of the start of the Jubilee of the World of Communication, framed in the Great Jubilee 2025 called by Pope Francis. This special event, which will run from tomorrow Friday until Sunday, seeks to highlight the fundamental role of communication as an instrument of dialogue, understanding and evangelization.

In this context, the Catholic Union of Informers and Journalists of Spain (UCIPE) and La Machi Communicación para Buenas Causas will participate in the Jubilee of the World of Communication, the first major meeting within the framework of the Holy Year, a space that will serve to reflect on the importance of communication in human and social life.

The meeting, whose motto is “Communicating hope”, will bring together thousands of journalists from around the world and will be attended by Pope Francis.