What is Sacred Art?

Sacred art is true and beautiful when its form corresponds to its particular vocation: evoking and glorifying, in faith and adoration, the transcendent mystery of God—the surpassing invisible beauty of truth and love visible in Christ, who “reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature,” in whom “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” This spiritual beauty of God is reflected in the most holy Virgin Mother of God, the angels, and saints. Genuine sacred art draws man to adoration, to prayer, and to the love of God, Creator and Savior, the Holy One and Sanctifier.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2502

Be Not Afraid by Laura LaHaye

“Pope John Paul II opened the Catholic Church to the world for Christ like never before!”

“None can sense more deeply than you, artist, ingenious creators of beauty, something of the pathos with which God, at the dawn of creation, looked upon the work of His hands.”

Pope St. John Paul II, Letter to Artists

What is Sacred Art Live!™ Louisiana?

Our Mission & Purpose

We believe sacred art holds the power to inspire, uplift, and deepen the faith of those who encounter it.

These words of Pope St. John Paul the Great, who, like many holy men before him, understood the profound connection between art and faith. In this spirit, and under the guidance of Larry Massey, President of the Scanlan Foundation, Sacred Art Live!™ was founded in 2022. Its mission is to gather Catholic artists and patrons in a setting that honors sacred beauty and to provide a space where the faithful can encounter, appreciate, and purchase both prints and original works. The event fosters a meaningful exchange between artists and the Catholic community, illuminating the essential role of art in expressing the divine mysteries of our faith.

In line with the call of the New Evangelization, we believe sacred art holds the power to inspire, uplift, and deepen the faith of those who encounter it, drawing all into a more profound connection with our rich Catholic heritage. This event will provide an opportunity for artists and the faithful to join in a shared celebration of the good, the true, and the beautiful.

Sacred Art Live!™ events have the ability to cross-promote the parish or host facility to the wider catholic community in the area through being a center of this kind of sacred beauty-based outreach. With focus as a parish and school-level event designed to help make the great spiritual tool that is sacred art more accessible to art patrons and the general public alike through hosting art shows with modern-day sacred artists live and in person, SAL! events are meant to do three things:

Connect artists & parishes in a partnered relationship.

Promote sacred art to parishioners.

Help artists sell their work, if possible.

The Good.

The True.

The Beautiful.

“At the heart of all healthy societies and cultures is the presence of the GOOD, the TRUE, and the BEAUTIFUL. This triune presence is perfected in the Person of Christ, who is, as He tells us, the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.”

Joseph Pearce

International Author | Publisher | Editor | Instructor

Custodians of the Beatitudes

"Art is not a luxury, but a necessity of the spirit. It is not an escape, but a responsibility, an invitation to action, a call, a cry,"

"To instruct in beauty is to instruct in hope, and hope is never separated from the drama of existence - it crosses the daily struggle, the fatigue of living, the challenges of our time."

"a universal language that spreads beauty and unites peoples, contributing to bringing harmony into the world and silencing every cry of war."

Pope Francis wrote that artists have a mission to "give voice to the voiceless" and "transform pain into hope."

“Pope Calls Artists to be 'Custodians of the Beatitudes' during Jubilee” Justin McLellan; USCCB Feb 2025

Pope Francis Jubilee Mass St. Peter's Basilica Feb. 16, 2025

Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Basilica for the Jubilee of Artists and the World of Culture at the Vatican Feb. 16, 2025. (CNS photo/Pablo Esparza)