Featured Image By: Jason Choi
– Jasmin Yiu
Sister Marie-Anastasia Carré, CB (Community of the Beatitudes) is running an exhibition of paintings from June 8 to 30 entitled Journey of the Heart: A pilgrimage from within. The opening ceremony was held in front of the Macau Cathedral at 10:00 AM on Sunday, June 10, with the Bishop of Macau in attendance. It was followed by a demonstration by Sister Marie-Anastasia herself.
In the afternoon of the same day, Sister Marie-Anastasia gave a conference at Hall 2 of the Cineteatro Macau entitled “From Arts to Contemplation.” The activities have been organized under the aegis of the Macau Diocesan Social Communication Center and the Macau Cathedral in coordination with the Hong Kong Diocese Audiovisual Center.
Sister Marie-Anastasia shared with O CLARIM some of her thoughts, and also her experience and path of seeking God, as well as her vocation.
Why do we have this exhibition?
I think the Journey of the Heart intends to share something very important for our life. Nowadays, we are very used to take care of “outside” matters: we have to take care of our work, our life, for our family … many external things, many visible things. But there is an invisible part in our life, the inner life. And each person wants to care for this inner part but sometimes we may forget it. So this exhibition is to remind us of the importance (of this inner life), and to make this inner life “visible.” It also (intends) to propose to people to begin a journey or to continue the journey, and to be encouraged to do this journey of the heart, and focusing more on the inner life.
What are your expectations for the audience after their meditation, what should they do?
I hope they can first get a surprise or for their hearts to be touched or get a shock. This can make them realize there is something important in the reality, even though they don’t exactly know what is it. So I hope they can first get this “moved” heart, and then to continue the way afterwards, because often we have a lot of emotions, shock etc., but then we have to proceed. Also, that shock or that “moved” heart should become a journey for them, which means: how can I continue, how can I get to go to God, how do I get that feeling again?
Also, I expect several things as well. Because we are in Asia, in Macau. I really hope some artists can also come and get the opportunity to receive the grace, thinking or realizing they can also work for the Church, work for God (with their artistic abilities). Because there is a lot of need for Christian art, especially Asian Christian art. What I hope is that the artists can also get the opportunity to begin something, and to develop more.
Were you born Catholic? When did you get to know the Beatitudes?
My parents are Catholics, and I was baptized when I was a baby. I thought of becoming a nun when I was young, but after 11 years old I did not practice my faith, thinking it was not easy to have friends when you are a Christian. I chose friends instead of God, I was just that simple and ignorant. When I was in the university, I didn’t listen to my parents to go to church on Sundays. I was just enjoying myself.
Until one day I saw a big picture of the Nativity on the floor. It was a rainy day and the picture was shining because of the raindrops. I was so amazed by the beauty at that moment and I was standing still there in front of the picture. At that time I was thinking, it is not possible that God be always on my way. I try to escape but He tries to come back. I could feel it, I cannot escape from the gaze of God. I was even questioning how come God is so “sticky” just like a glue. This was an important experience for me because, since then, I have made a decision to choose my relationship with God again. I tried to find a priest, to find someone to help me, to understand more about the faith.
Since then, I had some friends who entered the Beatitudes, and they invited me for a retreat. I found it very boring when I attended the first retreat. But the second time, I really felt I needed God, and I cried to Him, saying “If you really exist, please come to me, save me and do something!” Because at that time, I tried but I felt hopeless that I could not improve. Sometimes it’s important to cry out to Him, asking Him to open a door; sometimes He is waiting us to cry for Him.
When did you start thinking about your vocation?
After the second retreat I realized God loves us without condition. He chooses ways for sinners, like me, and He uses His own ways to show us His love. Since then, I thought of following God totally, but I was still thinking, “It will be very crazy, how can I become like that.”
At the end of the retreat, I went to buy some keychains which have different Bible verses. I picked one up, and the line on the keychain shocked me a lot: “I will betroth you to me forever: I will betroth you to me with justice and with judgment, with loyalty and with compassion” (Hosea 2:21).
The keychain prompted me to think about my vocation. I had spiritual direction to be able to follow God, and to learn the word of God. It’s a very good moment, it’s like someone falling in love. Just like the verses says, God uses all His strength to bring me, to catch me…this is a very strong love. Six months later I entered into the community.
How did you start merging your artistic talent with your consecrated life?
Originally, I was an art teacher. But after I entered the community, I experienced a conversion. I really lived an encounter with God, to receive the call, to follow Jesus in this call, but at the same time I cut down doing artwork for many years. But I did not think it was a sacrifice, because when I encountered with God in this life, it was so good and I was so loved. I really felt like I had wasted my time before, and I needed to spend more time with God, so I gave up art for several years.
I did not feel I missed that [art], until I went to the Philippines for a missionary trip for over one year. The sisters asked me to do some artwork for the youth in jail, and I realized I had forgotten about art. But when the youth was so happy to learn art, I knew it was a way that God used to remind me, that art is so important for my own life.
After this experience, God was like telling me, “It is good to teach others about art, but how about you? What will you do when you are back, and will you work on art for me?” I did not think too much, because I was thinking do more works of mercy instead.
After going back to France, that was 10 years ago, under the guidance and permission of my community, I began to work on art. But I started to do art only for God. I did not want to do art for art, it is not my way; I really want to use art, in my way, to love God. So I spent one whole year of art only for Him. I really care more on my relationship with God, just like some people will offer flowers to the Virgin Mary, it’s nice but it’s not my way to love God. Drawing is my way to love God.
Afterwards, I realized my drawings really speak to the heart of others. It was another step for me, I realized that I did it for God, but some other people can feel something, that the painting was speaking to them. It was a new step for me. And I realized it is a mission that God asked me to continue, so I asked the community about this mission step by step.
How does one become a Catholic artist?
There is a mission for today’s Christian artists. Besides enriching themselves and others’ heart, they also have the mission to create new art for the Church. For example, like in Macau, we have many valuable heritage and religious art treasures for centuries, but this is not enough. In order to bring the Gospel to people in the streets, especially to young people, we need to have new images and new artistic creations, using the language of today’s culture. Christian artists have the mission to create another channel for God to talk to the people of present generation.
But as Christian artists, we must integrate three things: our faith, our [artistic] skills, and our personal life. Art cannot be separated from life, and our faith cannot be separated from our life. Apart from faith, we also need to pay attend to polish and refine our skills. Since artists express their spiritual conditions through artwork, their spiritual life is therefore also very important.
I would encourage Christian artists to pick up their own tools, and start creating something. Do not wait for others and the church to invite you.
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