Todos, Todos, Todos

8”x10”

2023

This is an original work hand carved on linoleum block and hand printed

Hand carved on linoleum block and hand printed, inspired by a friend who attended Magis and World Youth Day 2023 (a global gathering for young people in the Catholic Church with the Pope about every 3 years) in Lisbon, Portugal and heard Pope Francis' homily on how the Church has space for everyone.

At the time a friend suggested capturing this powerful moment, I was also journeying with the Discerning Deacons and Catholic Artist Connection first Art and Synodality cohort. Journeying with the synod process has been one of both individual and collective discernment. Throughout the synod process in Philadelphia I have captured student voices as a visual notetaker through 6 visual art pieces to accompany our higher education report and facilitated collective and participatory art installations. On this art and synodality journey I wanted to capture a bit of my own synodal desires for the future of the Church in my typical art form of linocut printmaking, which is rooted in the Catholic Worker movement. As I was reflecting on what to create, the friend I mentioned shared the homily by Pope Francis in which he spoke the quote I represented here which translates to, "In the Church there is a place for everyone, everyone, everyone." He Pope Francis proceeds to ask everyone to join him in repeating "Todos, todos, todos" in their own languages. I felt that representing this moment was the perfect way to capture my similar hopes for the Church. There is not just space for everyone, but a place (lugar) for each and every person. We absolutely do need to work on participation for all and reparations as a Church, but we also need to start with acceptance. Pope Francis says, as Jesus does, that all are welcome: "The sick, the elderly, the young, old, ugly, beautiful, good and bad." This also means LGBTQ+ folks, women, the poor, those of all races, backgrounds, nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures...Todos.

Available as a t-shirt here courtesy of Discerning Deacons