CATH NEWS REPORT:
Screenshot of The Catholic Weekly report
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A portrait of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop is the feature work of several paintings by Sydney artist Paul Newton that are headed to Italy for the Domus Australia pilgrim centre, reports The Catholic Weekly.
"The narrative of the collection of paintings – 32 paintings in all – is to highlight figures from our short history, and those who have had a big impact on the Church in Australia.""This is going to be an Australian pilgrim centre in Rome, and although it's not exclusively open to Australian pilgrims, it's obviously aimed primarily at them," Mr Newton said.
A new version of Mr Newton's portrait of Our Lady of the Southern Cross, which was unveiled at St Mary's Cathedral during World Youth Day 2008, will be hung in the sanctuary behind the chapel's main altar.
"There are seven side altars in the church and then obviously the main altar at the front," he said.
The pilgrim centre chapel collection will also include portraits of Archbishop John Bede Polding; St Thomas More; Cardinal John Henry Newman; Pope John Paul II; Mother Teresa; the soon-to-be beatified Vietnamese priest Cardinal Van Thuan; Josephite co-founder Fr Julian Tenison Woods; the first Australian Sister of Mercy, Mother Ursula Frayne; the first Australian Sister of Charity, Mother Mary John Cahill; pioneer priest Fr John Therry; and Caroline Chisholm.
"It's been fascinating for me because I've been doing a lot of research as I approach each of these paintings," Mr Newton said.
The 235cm x 180cm portrait of St Mary MacKillop is one of the most anticipated paintings
in the collection.
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