Beauty is objective, points to God, Catholic artist says at young adult retreat
March 1, 2025 at 5:49 p.m.
Welcoming Catholic sacred art painter and speaker Kate Capato from Philadelphia, the Diocese’s annual young adult retreat March 1 focused on beauty, and how it is not, as so often claimed, in the eye of the beholder.
“I hope they come away with a deeper awareness of how the Lord sees them, but also how he speaks to them through beauty,” Capato said of those who attended the event in the spiritual center of St. Thomas More Parish, Manalapan.
PHOTO GALLERY: Young Adult Retreat
Kate Capato talks about beauty found in nature. EmmaLee Italia photoOffering Sacred Beauty events world-wide with her husband, Pawel, who provided music for the retreat, Capato was trained in Italy, and paints in its Renaissance style. During the event, which included a meditative sketching exercise with charcoal and paper accompanied by prayerful reflection, Capato talked about how God uses the beauty of creation to show his love for us.
“The Lord uses nature to speak to our hearts … and in our own daydreaming; it’s all about discerning, ‘Is that of the Lord?’” she said. “[He] uses simple things to reach our hearts, right where we are.”
Retreat participants also had an opportunity to pray before the Blessed Sacrament and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as well as attend the parish Mass.
Nayeli Franco, member of St. Anthony Parish, Hightstown, who assists with youth ministry there, found Capato’s presentation “very engaging, especially through all the imagery that she uses – and the message behind her paintings is even more beautiful.” Franco was especially struck by the artist’s teaching on “the idea of beauty not being subjective, that it’s inherent in humanity and that it’s transcendental.”
More to come on this story.
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Welcoming Catholic sacred art painter and speaker Kate Capato from Philadelphia, the Diocese’s annual young adult retreat March 1 focused on beauty, and how it is not, as so often claimed, in the eye of the beholder.
“I hope they come away with a deeper awareness of how the Lord sees them, but also how he speaks to them through beauty,” Capato said of those who attended the event in the spiritual center of St. Thomas More Parish, Manalapan.
PHOTO GALLERY: Young Adult Retreat
Kate Capato talks about beauty found in nature. EmmaLee Italia photoOffering Sacred Beauty events world-wide with her husband, Pawel, who provided music for the retreat, Capato was trained in Italy, and paints in its Renaissance style. During the event, which included a meditative sketching exercise with charcoal and paper accompanied by prayerful reflection, Capato talked about how God uses the beauty of creation to show his love for us.
“The Lord uses nature to speak to our hearts … and in our own daydreaming; it’s all about discerning, ‘Is that of the Lord?’” she said. “[He] uses simple things to reach our hearts, right where we are.”
Retreat participants also had an opportunity to pray before the Blessed Sacrament and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as well as attend the parish Mass.
Nayeli Franco, member of St. Anthony Parish, Hightstown, who assists with youth ministry there, found Capato’s presentation “very engaging, especially through all the imagery that she uses – and the message behind her paintings is even more beautiful.” Franco was especially struck by the artist’s teaching on “the idea of beauty not being subjective, that it’s inherent in humanity and that it’s transcendental.”
More to come on this story.