The Grand Cross

During a typical Lego Church Project season build a picture like the one above gets posted. Over the years it has become a symbol of what the project is about. I call "The Grand Cross". Because for me that is what it is. It has over the years become one of the most important elements of my work. In fact the very placement of that cross has been one of the first things that get decided on even before any of the bricks are set.

The origins of how it even came about have been told many times. The FB page has more than few posts about it. Along with how it has evolved into it's current form. The design came about because of a need back on the Season 5 project. Since that time however the reasons for keeping the cross has also evolved. Over time the cross has become a statement of what I believe. To the point that with the exception of one season it has been used in every project since. In fact it really wouldn't be a Lego Church Project with out it.

 I've been reflecting on things over the past few months. I've come to a much deeper understanding of why I keep using it. It is very much a statement of who I am. Very much an important part of my work. It allows the work to stand out to show people "this is what I am doing." When I dig deeper. I realize that two more important meanings develop. Both very well tie into the themes I use in my art and of my own personal world view.

The first one is a pure representation of The Blessed Trinity. Each of the three crosses make up a part of that. One for God the Father. Another for God the Son. The final cross for The Holy Spirit. Which is the core of a path that I have made the choice to follow.

The other meaning that could be taken from the Grand Cross is the importance of unity with in our parishes. The smallest yellow cross represent a single person. The red outer cross stands for our parishes that we belong to.  The communities that we engage in as part of that parish. The largest yellow cross represents the entire Catholic Church itself. Not unlike when I'm building the Grand Cross into my project. One element cannot stand up with out the other. All three crosses are needed to keep things together. It is the same way with our Faith. With out people taking part in parish life. Our parishes cannot survive. With out our parishes. Everything else falls apart.

Take care my friends. Please feel free to comment on this or any of my other posts. Would love to hear from you.

-JM

A Catholic Artist

I consider myself a Catholic artist who uses LEGO as his medium. I use this to promote the message that even if you have a challenge (or disability) that God can still use your talents. Each year as I have for the last seventeen of them. I spend countless hours of my time and energy to create something out of nothing. Taking a blank set of base plates and creating a new parish. Often times in the span of under two months. Which given the size and scope of what I do. Is rather impressive on it's own.

While I use the project to promote disability awareness. Their is also another element to my work. Something that is very subtle. But before I go into what that is. I must first explain something about myself. One element of my disability is that I am at times very hyper. Even as I have gone into adult hood and not far off from middle age. I am still the kind of person who cannot sit still for very long. I have to be in a state of constant motion. So even with that challenge that I face. I still enjoy the Mass. I enjoy the songs. I enjoy the processions. I enjoy the word of God. I enjoy the Communion. For me their is a deep passion for the Mass and it is an important element of my project.

My Lego Church Project is a snapshot of typical parish life. It is my love of the faith transformed though art. I try to capture as much of as I can. As realistically as I am able to given the limits that LEGO sometimes gives me. You see this passion because of all the details. The time I spend working on each section. Lot of that detail is in the tile work. The patterns on the floor and some of the other design elements that make a Church what it is. But building is only part of the story. Along with it are the people that come to the Mass.

One of the many comments I get is my project is always full of people. A sad reminder that our parishes are suffering. People have fallen away or have forgotten how important the Mass is. In the more recent past I have said that the pews are full because that is my hope and my prayer. That people would come back to their spiritual homes. To rejoin their parish communities. But I think this not a fully accurate statement. Because when I look on my work. I realize now more than ever. It is the entire project that is a prayer. A reminder of how important Celebrating the Mass is. That Christ would awaken in us a passion. A passion for our parish communities. But also a passion for life itself.

I close this post out with this final though: When I'm doing one of my displays people who come up to check the project out see the outside of the building. My comment to them is something along the lines of "You need to see the inside to get the rest of the story." As I've been working on this post. I'm starting to realize that their is way more to the story than just the project. That I am a Catholic artist who uses LEGO as his medium. I express my passion and love for my faith though my work. Sharing the messages that comes with it.

-JM