The new Icon of St. John Baptist de La Salle hangs in Campus Ministry, a space open for all students. REV. EDWARD BECK/ COURTESY
Joshua Reichard, Contributor & Mary Haley, Marketing Chair/Asst. Features Editor
There’s a new addition to Campus Ministry and Social Action this fall. An icon of Saint John Baptiste de La Salle now hangs in the entryway of the Cornerstone, the campus ministry center in Miguel Hall.
The icon was revealed to the community and blessed at mass earlier this month. The work was painted by Br. Michael Moran C.P., a passionist brother in Connecticut. Rev. Edward Beck, C.P. spoke to The Quadrangle to give insight into the process of creating the icon, and what it means to the Manhattan University community.
“There are many images around campus of Saint John Baptiste de La Salle,” Beck said. “We thought that it would be good to have something different. We’ve never really seen an icon of him anywhere.”
Br. Moran, who worked every morning for a month to paint the icon, chose to have it portray Saint John Baptiste de La Salle holding a book with Manhattan University’s logo to add significance, all while demonstrating the connection between de La Salle and the university.
“I have him standing there, holding the book, pointing to the book” Moran said. “I have [the logo] painted on it, and Saint John Baptiste pointing to it like ‘this is mine.’”
Rev. Beck gave further insight into the creation process, as he has lived in community with Br. Moran and observed his work.
“There’s a belief that the image is holy because of who or what it represents.” Beck said. “An important part of the painting of an icon is that the painter is aligned spiritually with the work being done. Often there’ll be a spiritual discipline of prayer before they begin painting. Some of them fast as a discipline.”
Br. Moran touched on what it meant to him to paint the icon.
“This being the patron saint of a significant university in New York, and also of a community of religious brothers…it meant something to me,” Moran said.
Campus Ministry and Social Action wants this icon to be something that welcomes students and members of the community into Cornerstone.
“I’m amazed at the amount of students that don’t even know this space exists for them to study and hang out,” Beck said.
Beck encourages students to come see the icon for themselves, and explore the Cornerstone and what it has to offer.
“This space is available to them, and we’re here to answer any questions about [the icon],” Beck said. “We want it to be something that can be accessible to them.”
Rev. Andie Raynor, a United Methodist pastor and campus minister at MU, spoke to The Quadrangle about her perspective on the new icon. Coming from a Protestant tradition that doesn’t typically venerate saints or use icons, Raynor found the icon blessing ceremony fascinating. She appreciated the opportunity to participate in the mass with Rev. Beck and Rev. Bob Joerger, learning about the Catholic tradition of icons.
“I think we always have a really wonderful dialog about the difference, say, between the Catholic tradition and the Protestant tradition, and, of course, sensitivity to our Muslim and Jewish brothers and sisters,” Raynor said. “For me to come here and to be in daily dialog with people of a Catholic tradition has been so interesting and spiritually deepening for me.”
Raynor was a hospice chaplain for 20 years, working with people of diverse faiths. She reflected on being moved by the reverence and care shown during the icon’s blessing, and hoped the icon would represent inclusivity, something she finds important in her interfaith work and understanding.
“We’re all like little tributaries leading to the same big ocean,” Raynor said. “So there’s beauty in every tradition and so for me, [the mass] was this really holy moment to see the veneration of the icon so tenderly. It’s beautiful.”