Blessed Art Thou (Hardcover)

“Blessed Art Thou: Mother, Lady, Mystic, Queen” features vibrant contemporary art of the Virgin Mary by renowned artist, painter, and author Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS, of Washington D.C., along with prayers written by Richard Fragomeni, priest of the diocese of Albany, New York and associate professor of Word and Worship at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Brother Mickey also contributes his own writings and reflection that inspired the creation of each of the individual works in the book. The book is not only a beautiful addition to a library and art collection but one that can be utilized to aid in ones own prayer, imagery and reflection.

The original paintings were created with acrylic paint on watercolor paper, creating a soft yet vibrant color effect, and then beautifully reproduced and artfully integrated with the text and prayers. Many of the paintings in the collection are the result of McGrath’s loving fascination with black pilgrimage Madonnas. Mary is presented throughout as an inclusive and unifying figure in an increasingly diverse church.

The titles in the book which inspired each of the paintings are from the Litany of Loreto, one of the oldest prayers of the Catholic Church, and passed down through the ages from sources like scripture’s Song of Songs and the Agathistos (a Greek litany dating from the sixth century). These 20 images celebrate various loving and reverent names for Mary: Our Mother, Our Lady, Our Mystic, Our Queen.