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‘Biblical Roots’: Picasso’s spiritual ‘sensibilities’ on display at Burgos Cathedral #Catholic The Burgos Cathedral in Spain is hosting an exhibition of 44 works by Pablo Picasso titled “Biblical Roots,” which explores the biblical essence and Christian origins present in the Spanish painter’s work.Among those attending the March 2 opening of the exhibit were Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Queen Sofía, and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, the artist’s grandson and president of the Bernard Ruiz-Picasso Foundation for Art (FABA, by its Spanish acronym).The cardinal emphasized during the opening that half a century after the artist’s death, “one of the least examined dimensions of Pablo Picasso is his radical exploration of transcendence,” according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Burgos. The cardinal also remarked that though the artist declared he had no faith, “he never abandoned the symbolic foundation of biblical and Christian tradition,” which constitutes “a generative tension throughout his work.” Queen Sofía at the exhibition in Burgos Cathedral. | Credit: Archdiocese of Burgos He said the Bible was for Picasso a “profound structure” of his sensibility, “an inner interpretive key forged in the sensory experience of the liturgy and the sacred Catholic imagery of his childhood.”He emphasized that in many of Picasso’s works, “the body of Christ becomes an archetype of human suffering,” particularly visible in the painting “Guernica,” “where the rhetoric of sacred iconography emerges as a language of pain.”For the cardinal, this exhibition also constitutes “an exemplary act of cultural dialogue: The cathedral and Picasso are not viewed as separate entities, but rather they challenge and illuminate each other by addressing the ultimate questions about meaning, suffering, and fraternity.”On behalf of Pope Leo XIV, he encouraged continued promotion of an authentic dialogue between Christianity and contemporary culture, “convinced that the artistic experience demands taking a broad view capable of recognizing the spiritual depth that dwells even in those who do not profess to be believers.” The opening of the exhibition — organized by the Archdiocese of Burgos, the Metropolitan Chapter, the FABA Foundation, and the Burgos Consulate of the Sea Foundation — was also attended by the vicar general of the archdiocese, Father Carlos Izquierdo Yusta, and Archbishop Emeritus Fidel Herráez Vegas, as well as other local officials.For Archbishop Mario Iceta of Burgos, the exhibition “constitutes a new milestone in the cathedral’s historical dialogue with culture.”He also recalled that the Burgos Cathedral, since the laying of its foundation stone by King St. Ferdinand (1199–1252), “has integrated all artistic styles throughout the centuries like a living organism,” and that today it also seeks to open itself up to contemporary culture through the work Picasso, a “leading and highly influential” artist.The artist’s grandson emphasized that the exhibition also has a profound meaning for the Ruiz-Picasso family, since “the artist visited the church ‘incognito’ in 1936, accompanied by his wife and son,” in what would be his last visit to Spain.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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‘Biblical Roots’: Picasso’s spiritual ‘sensibilities’ on display at Burgos Cathedral #Catholic The Burgos Cathedral in Spain is hosting an exhibition of 44 works by Pablo Picasso titled “Biblical Roots,” which explores the biblical essence and Christian origins present in the Spanish painter’s work.Among those attending the March 2 opening of the exhibit were Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Queen Sofía, and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, the artist’s grandson and president of the Bernard Ruiz-Picasso Foundation for Art (FABA, by its Spanish acronym).The cardinal emphasized during the opening that half a century after the artist’s death, “one of the least examined dimensions of Pablo Picasso is his radical exploration of transcendence,” according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Burgos. The cardinal also remarked that though the artist declared he had no faith, “he never abandoned the symbolic foundation of biblical and Christian tradition,” which constitutes “a generative tension throughout his work.” Queen Sofía at the exhibition in Burgos Cathedral. | Credit: Archdiocese of Burgos He said the Bible was for Picasso a “profound structure” of his sensibility, “an inner interpretive key forged in the sensory experience of the liturgy and the sacred Catholic imagery of his childhood.”He emphasized that in many of Picasso’s works, “the body of Christ becomes an archetype of human suffering,” particularly visible in the painting “Guernica,” “where the rhetoric of sacred iconography emerges as a language of pain.”For the cardinal, this exhibition also constitutes “an exemplary act of cultural dialogue: The cathedral and Picasso are not viewed as separate entities, but rather they challenge and illuminate each other by addressing the ultimate questions about meaning, suffering, and fraternity.”On behalf of Pope Leo XIV, he encouraged continued promotion of an authentic dialogue between Christianity and contemporary culture, “convinced that the artistic experience demands taking a broad view capable of recognizing the spiritual depth that dwells even in those who do not profess to be believers.” The opening of the exhibition — organized by the Archdiocese of Burgos, the Metropolitan Chapter, the FABA Foundation, and the Burgos Consulate of the Sea Foundation — was also attended by the vicar general of the archdiocese, Father Carlos Izquierdo Yusta, and Archbishop Emeritus Fidel Herráez Vegas, as well as other local officials.For Archbishop Mario Iceta of Burgos, the exhibition “constitutes a new milestone in the cathedral’s historical dialogue with culture.”He also recalled that the Burgos Cathedral, since the laying of its foundation stone by King St. Ferdinand (1199–1252), “has integrated all artistic styles throughout the centuries like a living organism,” and that today it also seeks to open itself up to contemporary culture through the work Picasso, a “leading and highly influential” artist.The artist’s grandson emphasized that the exhibition also has a profound meaning for the Ruiz-Picasso family, since “the artist visited the church ‘incognito’ in 1936, accompanied by his wife and son,” in what would be his last visit to Spain.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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While Pablo Picasso was a professed atheist, a new exhibit in Spain highlights the spiritual sensibilities of his art.

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Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist who urged Vatican to address humanitarian crises, dies at 84 #Catholic Jesse Jackson, whose decades of activism included work in the Civil Rights Movement, two runs for the White House, and multiple meetings with Pope John Paul II, died on Feb. 17. He was 84 years old.His family announced his passing in a statement on social media. They described him as a “servant leader” with an “unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love.” Jackson had suffered health issues for several years, including a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in 2017.Born Jesse Burns in Greenville, South Carolina, on Oct. 8, 1941, Jackson was adopted by his mother Helen’s subsequent husband Charles Jackson, though he maintained a close relationship with his birth father, Noah Robinson.Taunts from local children about his out-of-wedlock birth reportedly instilled in Jackson a motive to succeed; he further cited his biological father’s example of a “strong healthy ego” and “sense of dignity” that led him to push for civil rights in what was then the heavily segregated Southern U.S.He was a member of the “Greenville Eight” who protested the city’s segregated library system in 1960. A protege of Martin Luther King Jr., he participated in the Selma-to-Montgomery marches and played early roles in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Jackson was present at King’s assassination at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on April 4, 1968.He founded the social justice organization Operation PUSH — now Rainbow/PUSH — in 1971. He would eventually mount two campaigns for U.S. president, one in 1984 and one in 1988, both of which he lost.Earlier in his career Jackson had been an outspoken pro-life advocate, at one point even endorsing amending the U.S. Constitution to ban abortion, though in later decades he would pivot to aggressive support of abortion.He met with Pope John Paul II on three separate occasions in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1982 he urged the pontiff to advocate on behalf of Haitian refugees in the U.S., describing John Paul II as “the dominant force and moral authority in the world” at the time.He met with the pope again in 1985 and reportedly asked him to visit South Africa to protest apartheid, and again a third time in 1999 to urge the pontiff to advocate on behalf of three imprisoned CARE humanitarian workers in a Belgrade prison.Jackson is survived by his wife of 64 years, Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, and their five children. He is also survived by a daughter, Ashley, born to one of his former staffers in 1999.In a famed speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco, Jackson reflected on his political career and acknowledged that he was “not a perfect servant” but “a public servant doing my best against the odds.” He told the crowd: “As I develop and serve, be patient: God is not finished with me yet.”“For leaders, the pain is often intense,” he said at the time. “But you must smile through your tears and keep moving with the faith that there is a brighter side somewhere.”
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Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist who urged Vatican to address humanitarian crises, dies at 84 #Catholic Jesse Jackson, whose decades of activism included work in the Civil Rights Movement, two runs for the White House, and multiple meetings with Pope John Paul II, died on Feb. 17. He was 84 years old.His family announced his passing in a statement on social media. They described him as a “servant leader” with an “unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love.” Jackson had suffered health issues for several years, including a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in 2017.Born Jesse Burns in Greenville, South Carolina, on Oct. 8, 1941, Jackson was adopted by his mother Helen’s subsequent husband Charles Jackson, though he maintained a close relationship with his birth father, Noah Robinson.Taunts from local children about his out-of-wedlock birth reportedly instilled in Jackson a motive to succeed; he further cited his biological father’s example of a “strong healthy ego” and “sense of dignity” that led him to push for civil rights in what was then the heavily segregated Southern U.S.He was a member of the “Greenville Eight” who protested the city’s segregated library system in 1960. A protege of Martin Luther King Jr., he participated in the Selma-to-Montgomery marches and played early roles in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Jackson was present at King’s assassination at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on April 4, 1968.He founded the social justice organization Operation PUSH — now Rainbow/PUSH — in 1971. He would eventually mount two campaigns for U.S. president, one in 1984 and one in 1988, both of which he lost.Earlier in his career Jackson had been an outspoken pro-life advocate, at one point even endorsing amending the U.S. Constitution to ban abortion, though in later decades he would pivot to aggressive support of abortion.He met with Pope John Paul II on three separate occasions in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1982 he urged the pontiff to advocate on behalf of Haitian refugees in the U.S., describing John Paul II as “the dominant force and moral authority in the world” at the time.He met with the pope again in 1985 and reportedly asked him to visit South Africa to protest apartheid, and again a third time in 1999 to urge the pontiff to advocate on behalf of three imprisoned CARE humanitarian workers in a Belgrade prison.Jackson is survived by his wife of 64 years, Jacqueline Lavinia Brown, and their five children. He is also survived by a daughter, Ashley, born to one of his former staffers in 1999.In a famed speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco, Jackson reflected on his political career and acknowledged that he was “not a perfect servant” but “a public servant doing my best against the odds.” He told the crowd: “As I develop and serve, be patient: God is not finished with me yet.”“For leaders, the pain is often intense,” he said at the time. “But you must smile through your tears and keep moving with the faith that there is a brighter side somewhere.”

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The longtime activist was a fixture in U.S. politics for decades, including two presidential runs.

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‘Hoodies from Heaven’ brings warmth to children in need #Catholic After retiring in 2021, Patrick McBee began subbing as an aide at local schools in Morgan County, West Virginia. He quickly realized that many children did not have the appropriate clothes to keep them warm during the winter months. Unable to wear their coats during the school day due to security reasons, McBee had an idea to help underprivileged children stay warm — hoodies.A member of the Knights of Columbus for over 20 years, McBee turned to his council for help bringing his idea to fruition. The council at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church — the only Catholic Church in Morgan Country — loved the idea and began the Hoodies from Heaven initiative, which solicits donations of new or gently used hoodies to give to children in need at local schools.Since its launch in 2024, Hoodies from Heaven has donated over 300 hoodies to children in six local schools. Each hoodie that is given to a child in need comes with a note that says “God loves you.”McBee told EWTN News that he knew something needed to be done after speaking with the school board and found out that over 1,000 families in Morgan County “identify as needy … and that’s not even counting the ones that do not go to DHHR — Department of Health and Human Resources.”McBee’s wife, Judy, added that “there wasn’t anything specific to help the school-aged children. There’s lots of support for unwed mothers or single mothers with babies and things, but there wasn’t anything for elementary, middle, and high school kids.”She added that part of the Knights’ mission is to “take care of children, widows, and orphans,” and “we knew that the babies were being taken care of. We saw that there were older children suffering and wanted to help them out and let them know that they’re not forgotten about by God.”The married couple explained that the hoodies are handed out by teachers and bus drivers “because they’re the first line of defense. … They distribute them to the kids that they see need them,” Judy said.Despite serving primarily in their local area, Hoodies from Heaven has helped others outside of their county. In September 2025, southwestern West Virginia experienced severe flooding, with many neighborhoods severely damaged or wiped out. The McBees sent over 60 hoodies and some sweatpants that were donated to the Catholic church in the area to be handed out to families in need.The McBees agreed that they would love to “plant the seeds in other Knights of Columbus councils — to do this is so easy,” Judy said.“The people, they just come forth with their generosity … I would say very rarely has a weekend passed that Patrick and I don’t go to Mass and come home with a bag or two of hoodies. It’s awesome how people just step up, but we think that if this word could get out to others, then they could start their own little programs and just specifically to help the older kids who get neglected sometimes.”Patrick shared a story he was told about a little boy who received one of the hoodies. When the boy received it, he asked if he had to give it back. When the teacher told him no and that it was for him to keep, he was “elated.”“When I heard that, that broke my heart,” Judy added.Judy shared that growing up in an affluent town in New Jersey, she “was very fortunate growing up and never wanted for anything as a kid. And I come here, here I am retired, and I see what I see and it just absolutely breaks my heart, but these children here are special.”“They’re very appreciative. They’re not spoiled. They’re not entitled. They know that they don’t come from an entitled background. They’re very humble. The kids here are just extraordinary, just absolutely extraordinary.”As for their hope for Hoodies from Heaven, Judy said: “If we could just make just a couple of kids happy and warm, feel that they’re that valued, and then the little note that goes with them telling them that God loves them too. We hope that that brings a message to them that plants a seed that as they grow older that they’ll know to rely on God, because God provides everything we need.”
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‘Hoodies from Heaven’ brings warmth to children in need #Catholic After retiring in 2021, Patrick McBee began subbing as an aide at local schools in Morgan County, West Virginia. He quickly realized that many children did not have the appropriate clothes to keep them warm during the winter months. Unable to wear their coats during the school day due to security reasons, McBee had an idea to help underprivileged children stay warm — hoodies.A member of the Knights of Columbus for over 20 years, McBee turned to his council for help bringing his idea to fruition. The council at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church — the only Catholic Church in Morgan Country — loved the idea and began the Hoodies from Heaven initiative, which solicits donations of new or gently used hoodies to give to children in need at local schools.Since its launch in 2024, Hoodies from Heaven has donated over 300 hoodies to children in six local schools. Each hoodie that is given to a child in need comes with a note that says “God loves you.”McBee told EWTN News that he knew something needed to be done after speaking with the school board and found out that over 1,000 families in Morgan County “identify as needy … and that’s not even counting the ones that do not go to DHHR — Department of Health and Human Resources.”McBee’s wife, Judy, added that “there wasn’t anything specific to help the school-aged children. There’s lots of support for unwed mothers or single mothers with babies and things, but there wasn’t anything for elementary, middle, and high school kids.”She added that part of the Knights’ mission is to “take care of children, widows, and orphans,” and “we knew that the babies were being taken care of. We saw that there were older children suffering and wanted to help them out and let them know that they’re not forgotten about by God.”The married couple explained that the hoodies are handed out by teachers and bus drivers “because they’re the first line of defense. … They distribute them to the kids that they see need them,” Judy said.Despite serving primarily in their local area, Hoodies from Heaven has helped others outside of their county. In September 2025, southwestern West Virginia experienced severe flooding, with many neighborhoods severely damaged or wiped out. The McBees sent over 60 hoodies and some sweatpants that were donated to the Catholic church in the area to be handed out to families in need.The McBees agreed that they would love to “plant the seeds in other Knights of Columbus councils — to do this is so easy,” Judy said.“The people, they just come forth with their generosity … I would say very rarely has a weekend passed that Patrick and I don’t go to Mass and come home with a bag or two of hoodies. It’s awesome how people just step up, but we think that if this word could get out to others, then they could start their own little programs and just specifically to help the older kids who get neglected sometimes.”Patrick shared a story he was told about a little boy who received one of the hoodies. When the boy received it, he asked if he had to give it back. When the teacher told him no and that it was for him to keep, he was “elated.”“When I heard that, that broke my heart,” Judy added.Judy shared that growing up in an affluent town in New Jersey, she “was very fortunate growing up and never wanted for anything as a kid. And I come here, here I am retired, and I see what I see and it just absolutely breaks my heart, but these children here are special.”“They’re very appreciative. They’re not spoiled. They’re not entitled. They know that they don’t come from an entitled background. They’re very humble. The kids here are just extraordinary, just absolutely extraordinary.”As for their hope for Hoodies from Heaven, Judy said: “If we could just make just a couple of kids happy and warm, feel that they’re that valued, and then the little note that goes with them telling them that God loves them too. We hope that that brings a message to them that plants a seed that as they grow older that they’ll know to rely on God, because God provides everything we need.”

unitedyam

Amid the freezing temperatures hitting many parts of the U.S., one Knights of Columbus council is providing warmth to children in need through an initiative called “Hoodies from Heaven.”

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