Spiritual Quote of the Day (Fr. Jack Welch, on ‘The Catholic Imagination’)

“The Catholic imagination is a thesaurus of metaphors and symbols. The mystery of God requires a kaleidoscope of imagery. God is like a rock, a fortress, a shield, a place of refuge. God is like a mother, a shepherd, a dark night. The psyche finds images for what cannot be fully expressed.” —John Welch, O. Carm. (1939-2025), “Catholic Imagination,” Carmelite Review, Fall 2013-Winter 2014 issue

Spiritual Quote of the Day (Fr. John Welch, on the Catholic Imagination and the ‘Stuff’ of Life)

“To speak of the Catholic imagination is to talk about an ability to use the ‘stuff’ of life to express matters of the spirit. For example, the praise of God becomes palpable when incense rises in liturgy. Belief that Mary, Mother of God, accompanies us on our pilgrimages is anchored by a scapular around the neck. We ask angels to watch over us because they speak of God’s presence and power. Calling on particular saints for help in personal matters says God cares about the details of our lives.”—Fr. John Welch, O.Carm, “Catholic Imagination,” Carmelite Review, Fall 2013-Winter 2014 issue

The image accompanying this post is an example of the “Catholic imagination”—Madonna of the Book, painted in 1480 by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli (ca. 1445-1510).