Seminarian’s mural honors Mary

Created by Peter Dionne, a seminarian from Orlando, the mosaic tile mural is the first work of art to be dedicated at St. John Vianney since 1968.

Peter Dionne, a graduate of St. John Vianney Seminary’s class of 2008 who is continuing his studies for the priesthood for the Orlando diocese, poses in front of the mosaic he designed for the college seminary. It is the first work of art to be created for the seminary since 1968.

MARLENE QUARONI | FC
Peter Dionne, a graduate of St. John Vianney Seminary’s class of 2008 who is continuing his studies for the priesthood for the Orlando diocese, poses in front of the mosaic he designed for the college seminary. It is the first work of art to be created for the seminary since 1968.

MARLENE QUARONI | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Posted: 10.08.09

MIAMI | Two years ago, Msgr. Michael Carruthers, rector-president of St. St. John Vianney College Seminary, asked seminarian Peter Dionne to create a mural for a white wall outside the seminary’s St. Raphael Chapel.

A white statue of the Virgin Mary stood in front of the white wall that overlooks a small pond.

“When I became the seminary’s rector four years ago, I envisioned art on the wall depicting a water theme, instead of the uninspiring blank wall I remembered as a seminarian,” said Msgr. Carruthers, a 1987 graduate of St. John Vianney.

Orlando Bishop Thomas Wenski presides over the blessing of the new mosaic at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami Sept. 24.

MARLENE QUARONI | FC
Orlando Bishop Thomas Wenski presides over the blessing of the new mosaic at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami Sept. 24, the feast day of Our Lady of Mercy.

Dionne, 26, and in his second year of theology at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, had created murals for businesses in Rockledge, from where he hails. What happened next could only be called divine inspiration.

“On the vigil of the Immaculate Conception I gave a homily on Mary, Star of the Sea,” said Msgr. Carruthers. “After Mass, Dionne, who didn’t know what I would talk about in my homily, came to me with a sketch he had created that day which depicted Mary, Star of the Sea.”

Dionne prayed over the design and from his heart flowed the current artwork – the first major art project at the seminary since a mural titled “The Mission of the Apostles” by Gabriel Loire was added to St. Raphael Chapel in 1968.

Dionne recommended a mosaic tile-setter, Michell Jarvis of Cocoa Beach, and a donor covered the cost of the project.

Msgr. Carruthers said he is not sure why it took so long to add more art to the seminary.

“Certainly our society has become very pragmatic,” he said. “Even education has moved to a concept of skills-training, rather than formation of the person.”

He noted that in recent years the seminary has begun to promote the humanities “as a way to open ourselves to symbolic language and prepare hearts to better receive the grace of the Lord and enter into theological discussion. Through the arts – music, sculpture, painting, drama, etc. – we encounter beauty. In beauty we encounter the source of all beauty – God.”

Orlando Bishop Thomas Wenski, a 1970 graduate of the seminary and bishop of Dionne’s home diocese, dedicated the mosaic Sept. 24, the feast day of Our Lady of Mercy. At the same time, he consecrated the seminary to the Blessed Mother.

The dedication was part of a series of events taking place during the seminary’s 50th anniversary year. For nine days prior to the dedication, the seminarians prayed a novena to Mary, the New Eve and Star of the Sea.

“The title of Mary as the New Eve points to obedience,” explained Msgr. Carruthers. “What was lost by the disobedience of the first Adam and Eve at the tree in the garden is regained by the new Adam (Christ) and the new Eve at the tree of the cross. The title also points to the spousal relationship between Christ and his Church, a relationship which priests, as ‘other Christs,’ are called to live.”

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