Said the newsletter, "St. Ignatius Church, a Jesuit parish in San Francisco, celebrated the opening of its new Manresa Gallery on September 18. Formed by four interior alcoves, which previously housed confessional boxes, the gallery is a permanent testament to St. Ignatius of Loyola's Composition of Place... In keeping with Ignatius' understanding that his Constitutions or governing rules for Jesuits would include old principles and new ones, the gallery's philosophy is to include both traditional religious works and contemporary art in a series of changing exhibitions. Commissioned pieces will enhance the dialogue that take places on a larger scale within the ritual space of the church. Manresa Gallery is open on Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m. and by appointment." The article was written by James R. Blaettler, S.J., Associate Pastor of St. Ignatius.
A few weeks ago, I decided to go to St. Ignatius to take a look for myself. While the museum was closed, I was able to look through the windows to get a glimpse of what's inside. It was a surprising experience to find an art gallery inside a Catholic Church. It became even stranger when the art displayed was not Christian, but pagan.
Link (here) to Gibbons Cooney's full piece entitled. Church or Museum? in the California Catholic Daily
More at Creative Minority Report (here)
