I imagine that Catholic University of America President John H. Garvey and the Bishops to whom he allegedly reports are secretly relieved that the blasphemous painting “Mama” which depicts career criminal George Floyd as Jesus Christ has been stolen, because its disappearance relieves them of further efforts to explain the inexplicable decision to host this outrage in the first place.
For those distracted by the Thanksgiving holiday, “Mama” hangs right outside the Mary, Mirror of Justice Chapel in Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law and in the offices of the Campus Ministry in Caldwell Hall. The painting emulates the renowned “Pieta,” a statue carved by Italian sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1499 depicting Jesus Christ’s mother, Mary, holding him in her arms after his crucifixion.
The Daily Signal first reported that artist Kelly Latimore’s painting “Mama” depicts “the Virgin Mary supporting the body of the dead Christ” — although the artist has indicated repeatedly that his painting depicts both Floyd and Jesus.
“You can identify Jesus by the marks in the halo,” said Karna Lozoya, vice president for university communications. Lozoya would not further address the matter with The Daily Signal.
Ms. Lozoya’s sophistry notwithstanding, the University itself, which prides itself on its status as the pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by Catholic bishops in the U.S., has labelled the figure depicted in the painting as George Floyd, as you can see from the image below.
If you are as appalled with the University leadership as I am please click this link to sign the petition to demand removal of this painting and other corrective action.
Catholics outraged by this blasphemous depiction of Our Savior might legitimately wonder who is in charge at the University and what were they thinking when they allowed it?
The unfortunate answer to this question was supplied by no less a figure than Father Jude DeAngelo, university chaplain and director of Campus Ministry, who actually blessed this sacrilege, praying, “Almighty Father, we now ask you to sanctify and bless this icon which we will use in the adoration of the Blessed Mother,” as he blessed Latimore’s painting with holy water. “May all who look upon this sacred image come to know her protection and maternal care, tracing in their hearts the pattern of holiness.”
This deviation from anything remotely resembling Catholic iconography, let alone Catholic teaching about the Blessed Mother, has not gone unnoticed by students at the University.
A student quoted by Mary Margaret Olohan in an article for The Stream called the painting “blasphemy against Mary for portraying her holding a sacrilegious depiction of George Floyd.”
“Why is this there?” the student asked. “Well, simply, those in the school’s administration are woke liberals.”
The student added in an email:
The chaplain and the rest of Campus Ministry seem to think that their liberal version of social justice is the highest virtue, even more important than authentic expressions of the Catholic faith.
This is the same Campus Ministry who has a pride flag in their offices and allies themselves with every liberal cause that comes along, while bullying conservative Catholic students. This is the same chaplain who marched with BLM [Black Lives Matter] and barred Abby Johnson from speaking for Cardinals for Life (the pro-life club on campus).
When the Catholic University’s Chaplain, Father Jude DeAngelo, has a homosexual pride flag in the offices of the Campus Ministry, explicitly defying church teaching on homosexuality and the natural relationship of humans with each other AND a painting depicting George Floyd as Jesus Christ hanging in its office, then Catholic University has a much bigger problem than bad taste in art – and that problem is a hierarchy and University leadership that has substituted their personal political views for the timeless truth of the Bible and Catholic teachings.
When priests and bishops look out over the nave of their churches during Sunday Mass and wonder at the ever-shrinking attendance they have only their actions that deviate from Catholic biblical teachings, such as blasphemously depicting criminal George Floyd as Jesus Christ, to blame.
Please use this link to sign the petition to demand the University remove this painting and undertake other corrective action.
You can also contact the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops through this link or by telephone at (202) 541-3193 and you can contact Catholic University of America President John H. Garvey at 202-319-5100 or email him at: cua-president@cua.edu Call or email today and tell them this blasphemous painting has no place at a university that purports to be the pontifical university in the United States.
Catholic University
Catholic University of America President John H. Garvey
Mama painting
Mary, Mirror of Justice Chapel in Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law
Pieta statue
Father Jude DeAngelo
Kelly Latimore
Catholic teachings