ART: No, it's blasphemy
The article “Art or Blasphemy?” has included a small biographical note recounting that “…as a young boy growing up in the Catholic Church, he always found himself drawn to the ‘beautiful statuary and stained glass’ of the churches and schools he attended.”
A young child encountering your work could never claim the same.
Leaving aside for the moment the argument and defense of freedom of speech, which is continually invoked and enshrined today, I would just ask you:
Were your mother to be brought into the town square, partially stripped and insult and filth heaped upon her, could you stand by not only motionless but even defending such treatment of your mother?
You have done to Our Mother — as taught by your Faith and my Faith, the Catholic Faith that Mary, the Mother of Christ is Our Mother — what I am confident you would never have allowed to be done to your mother.
Only your personal crisis of Faith can sufficiently explain such a sacrilegious work.
Freedom of speech is ever invoked when an outrage, which has become tolerated, is foisted in the face of others. However, you and the Art Spirit Gallery would never create, or if created, never display those works which society has (today) deemed hate crimes or prejudicial against some “legally” protected group.
Our day finds entire populations on medication for depression while others, many many young, seek professional help for an array of psychological disorders. Ugliness, vulgarity and most tragically, sacrilege have become the gods of the day.
Our Lady of Guadalupe has been proclaimed by the Catholic Church as the Empress of the Americas. Your work does not change that. No son, No Son, is offended by the praises offered to His Mother. No Son feels detracted of honor due Him when it is shown to Her Who begot Him. But the Son and all sons are horrified and saddened when their Mother is attacked.
Our Mother has been attacked and should we not defend Her?
The article was titled: Art or Blasphemy? And all children of their Mother answer unanimously that it is pure blasphemy.
Mr. Riccardo, I assure you of my prayers and very best wishes,
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
MATTHEW BEAM
Rathdrum