Out of the Pews, Into the Streets

5”x 7”

2023

Hand carved on linoleum block and hand printed, commissioned as cover art for the February 2023 Los Angeles Catholic Worker Agitator newspaper.

This piece was created as the cover art for the Agitator issue about Mapping the Catholic Left in Los Angeles. The idea was to uplift some of the change work that is being done through various people, organizations, and even the Church, to shine a positive light in the midst of a lot of critiquing and judgment about our systems and the Church. There is a movement away from engaging with spirituality in these movements, so the desire was to focus on some of the people doing good work who are trying to enflesh the Gospels. Taking a moment to do this perhaps allows for new perspectives, new relationships, new inspiration, and new rootedness. This work shows the importance of action as linked with our faith - our faith calls us to do the work of the Gospels and move from that place out into the world. A lot of churches have sadly lost this message, resorting to shallow homilies and judgment in the pews. This is work for the long haul, and our spirituality can keep us grounded, but we are all called to “make a society where it is easier for people to be good.”