Returning Catholics FAQs: All That Artwork

On Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of  When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics, a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.

I went to Rome with some other lapsed Catholic friends. We all thought the amount of artwork on the Vatican tour was obscene. Why doesn’t the Church sell some of it to help the poor?

First, the Church does of course help the poor. Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities, missionary communities… the list of Catholics in direct service to the needy is a very long one. That doesn’t even begin to include people at the parish level around the world who donate their time, talent and treasure to help the homeless, the

starving, the abused, and others in need.

Second, it is true that the Church has a substantial art collection, inside and outside the Vatican. Art–the creation of it and the admiration of it–help to feed our faith. They provide tangible visuals that aid in our understanding of Christianity’s complexities. Who can look at Michelangelo’s Pieta without feeling Mary’s pain?

You’ll also find gold tabernacles and beautiful tapestries in many churches around the world. Not everyone can go to the Vatican. Is it wrong that the Lord should be worshiped in a way that stirs our souls in places where all can view them? Keep in mind that with few exceptions, Catholics and non-Catholics alike are free to enter churches and basilicias at random to view paintings, sculptures, icons, and so on.

There’s a balance, of course, and we’re not going to agree on what that balance is. We could also get into a Scripture-trading discussion on God calling us to help our neighbors and to pay appropriate homage to Him. That’s not going to happen here, though you’ll find plenty of sites that will do that. I’d counsel you to consider examining your own life for the way you balance assistance to those in need with your own comforts… and if you’re not happy with what you see, think about how you can change that.