Exploring Catholic Social Teaching
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Sacred Art and Catechesis<br />
How to Use the Works of Art in This Guide<br />
This Teacher’s Guide uses sacred art as a means of teaching<br />
young people about the <strong>Catholic</strong> Faith. Beauty disposes us to<br />
the Divine, and sacred art helps lead students to love what is<br />
good, beautiful, and true. Art can be viewed and appreciated<br />
by all students, no matter their grade, reading ability, personal<br />
background, or level of sophistication. Feel free to use these<br />
works of art with students of all grade levels. Add<br />
your own questions if these are too hard. Say them<br />
out loud if students cannot read the questions<br />
themselves. Have older students compose their own<br />
questions. Have fun.<br />
HANDOUT A<br />
Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet<br />
BY FORD MADOX BROWN (1856)<br />
City of Manchester Art Galleries, Manchester, UK.<br />
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Before presenting artwork, we recommend<br />
you gather relevant Scripture passages and<br />
sections of the Catechism to contextualize<br />
discussion.<br />
We recommend projecting a full-screen<br />
image of each work of art, and/or handing<br />
out color copies for each student or small<br />
group of students.<br />
6<br />
62<br />
HANDOUT A<br />
Madonna with Child<br />
By Sassoferrato<br />
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Allow students to view the art quietly for several minutes — or for as long as you can.<br />
Encourage them to appreciate it for its own sake before beginning any analysis.<br />
Begin your discussion by asking questions that are easy to answer. This may help “prime<br />
the pump” for future discussion.<br />
Be willing to share your own response to the painting. Allow your students to see<br />
the painting move you. Sharing the feelings and ideas the artwork evokes in you may<br />
encourage your students to be more willing to take risks in the ways they contribute to<br />
the discussion.<br />
Add your own favorite works of art. Don’t be limited to paintings. Think about using<br />
sculpture, wood carvings, stained glass, and so forth. Your enthusiasm for works of art<br />
will be contagious.<br />
When appropriate, talk with your students about how sacred art, unlike other forms of<br />
artwork, is meant to draw our attention not the particularities of the figures in the work,<br />
but to universals: truth, beauty and goodness, and most of all, to the Author of beauty<br />
who is God Himself.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING OVERVIEW<br />
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