Hello to My Fellow Art and Faith Sojourners,
I am delighted to tell you about our Art of the Spirit Tour for 2018. As many of you already know from experience, our travel destinations always combine the natural beauty of creation with great art and architecture from across time. They are true adventures of the spirit which are educational, inspirational, and fun. I like to think of our tours as retreats in which you are not only feeding your soul but stimulating your mind and heart in art history and the lives of the saints, We begin each morning with a slide presentation of my paintings and stories to give you some background on that day’s adventures.
Our 2018 sojourn begins in the breathtaking beauty of the French Alps. Annecy is a lovely town known as the “Venice of the Alps” and is one of France’s most popular resort destinations. And while it is the perfect place to stroll, relax, and enjoy the spectacular views, it is more importantly for our trip the home of St. Francis de Sales, one of the church’s most beloved saints and a towering figure in Christian spirituality. Walking the streets of his hometown, we will understand why his spiritual teachings are so full of gentleness, hope, and optimism. For someone who died in 1622, he sure understood our modern hearts and minds in our search for inner peace and faith!
You can read Dave’s overview for day to day details, but I do want to mention our visit to the nearby church in Assy, a small gem of modern church architecture which has work by Matisse, Chagall, Roualt and other masters of modern art. Our last tour began in the Matisse Chapel of the Rosary in Vence, which was built around the same time under the supervision of the same Dominican priest and art historian, Fr. Couturier.
From Annecy we go to Paris by high speed train across France. We love sacred spaces and holy places on Art of the Spirit tours, and so we will explore the Gothic splendors of Notre Dame and Chartres Cathedrals, and the incredible Ste. Chapelle, built by King St. Louis.
I really feel we are currently living in a new age of reform, a time filled with unrest, uncertainty, and lots of anxiety. Well, St. Francis de Sales lived in such a time, and so did the great artists and architects of the middle ages. If nothing else, I hope this trip in 2018 fills our eyes and hearts with endless wonder and the comforting reminder that right alongside our stress and fear is the beauty of the human spirit urging us forward, together. It has always been that way, and always will!
Peace and blessings,
Bro.Mickey
