March Marist Messenger

Cover: A workshop in Nazareth.

Our cover this month is part of a work by Canadian Catholic artist, author, speaker and essayist Michael O’Brien.  O’Brien was born in Ottawa, Canada in 1948. He attended a Inuit residential school, (where he was abused by an dorm supervisor) and St Patrick’s High School, Ottawa.

As a youth he was agnostic, but converted aged 21. Following his artistic calling, he and his family fell into poverty.  They were sustained by food donations from the Poor Clares. However, he was buoyed up by prayer at Mass in the chapel of the church where he and his family were sheltering in the basement.

He has had several novels published and paints and writes icons.

“My life is in Jesus Christ; my home is my Catholic faith. Moreover, I think every creative person makes beauty — truth in beautiful forms — by drawing from the resources of his own life and reflections on his experience. Suffering is a great teacher, if we do not lose heart.”

www.ncregister.com/interview/keeping-the-resurrection-burning-within-our-hearts-the-art-of-michael-obrien