The General Secretary and a Delegation of the Governorate participate in a meeting with the Leaders of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums

A common journey

“Forty-one years of history of the Patrons of the Arts of the Vatican Museums are the result of a common journey”, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, General Secretary of the Governorate of Vatican City State, said in her greeting to the annual meeting of the Chapters of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums held at the Taylor Education Center in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon, 22 September, the second to last day of her visit to the United States of America.

Many Patrons, “came before us, even here in New Orleans”, the General Secretary highlighted, adding her intention “to build on the past, on the seeds that were planted by our predecessors, on the courage and sacrifice of those who came before us, taking some new steps into the future, thinking creatively about what is next, carrying the mission forward”.

Indeed, we “did walk together up to today”, Sr. Petrini continued, expressing her profound gratitude for the way in which the Patrons “supported us and trusted us along the way”. She also thanked the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage and those who work in the Office for relations with the Patrons, who changed and readapted their way of working in order to work according to the “new procedures and needs, linked to the economic and financial reform initiated by Pope Francis”.  Sr. Petrini thanked the legal office, whose members “have supported me every step of the way, making sure that the Vatican legislation was correctly implemented in this process”.

This movement forward, the General Secretary explained, “has allowed the Patrons to grow as an organization in effectiveness, in accountability and transparency, consistently with our goal to support the Vatican Museums”.

This journey, she stressed, was a common journey shared with all you here, “and has allowed me to also develop personal relationships with all of you for whom I have great respect and deep appreciation for your dedication and commitment”. In fact, she continued, your “financial generosity allows us to continue to preserve the patrimony of humanity that the masterpieces held by the Vatican Museums represent, but the spirit with which you support the Vatican City State is the real treasure that makes us work together as One Body: it is one concrete expression of that deep sense of fraternity that bonds us together in faith and extends even to embrace all those who share with us a profound love of for the arts”.

Lastly, Sr. Petrini thanked all those who collaborated in the organization of the annual event and all those present, in particular, Michael Vales and Denice Derbes, Leaders of the Louisiana Chapter, in the hope that God  may “continue to bless our shared commitment as we enter a time of hope and reconciliation with the Jubilee of 2025, while we carry forward our work together”. In the words of Pope Francis, she added, “may we continue to keep our minds and hearts open to the beauty of God’s creation and the gift and mystery of our human life and calling”.

On Sunday morning, Sr. Petrini and the Delegation of the Governorate had participated in Holy Mass in St. Louis Cathedral, presided by Archbishop Gregory Michael Aymond of New Orleans.

On Saturday, 21 September, Sr. Petrini attended the meeting of the Leaders of the Chapters of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, at the National World War II Museum. At the end of the day, Archbishop Gregory Michael Aymond of New Orleans celebrated Mass in St Rita Church.

On Thursday afternoon, 19 September, Micheal R. Vales, President of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums of the South, offered a greeting to Sr. Petrini and the Delegation of the Governorate, in the Commander’s Palace.

First, he had thanked, on behalf of the Louisiana Chapter, the Governorate Delegation and sent greetings to the Director of the Vatican Museums, Barbara Jatta.

Then, he had expressed his gratitude to all the Patrons, benefactors past and present, who generously share “your time, your talent and your love for restoring and preserving the many spiritual masterpieces”. Vales had pointed out that while the Patrons plan for the future, it should always be remembered that God’s Holy Spirit is at work in the human heart.  “God’s grace – he had said - has inspired numerous master artists over the centuries to tell stories of the Bible, the Good News of the Gospels, in painting, sculpture, mosaic, stained glass, inspiring structures and other art forms”.  The Lousiana Chapter’s, he had added, “is appreciative of the opportunity to collaborate in the preservation of the remarkable ‘visual story’ of the many extraordinary works within the Vatican Museums”. 

Because, “In the Vatican Museums beauty, history, and faith come together”.

Vales had pointed out that “Since its beginning, Christianity has relied on art to tell the stories of the faith, to captivate believers, with its elucidation of faith’s mysteries, and to provide understanding of its foundational principals”.  In the midst “of strife and divergence, this purpose can unite the world in universal expression of the human spirit’s search for God”. 

In fact, he had observed, “The beauty of art enriches life and creates communion, because it unites God, man and creation in a single symphony.  It connects the past, the present and the future; and it attracts…in the same place and with the same wonderment…people of different nationalities and beliefs”.

Later John Hale, Presidente of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums of the Michigan, highlighted that “the Transfiguration and the Eucharist are God breaking through to reach our humanity” and that sacred art “and, in particular, the Vatican Museum’s collection is man’s and woman’s attempt to cooperate with God to continue to make God present in the world in a physical way. The collection is the human attempt to bring forth God’s Transcendence”.

Hale underscored that the Patrons carry out a mission that is worth pursuing. Turning to individual members of the Office for relations with the Patrons, he noted that they worked for years “sincerely and humbly, serving the Church, your own local Church, and each of your Patron members” with self sacrifice and often without recognition for countless hours “unknown to anyone but God Himself”. Hale expressed his gratitude for “all the seeds you have planted to be watered by God, the ways in which your efforts continue to heal a world wounded through your own beautiful service”.

On behalf of all the Chapter Leaders and the team in Rome, he also thanked the leadership of Michael Vales and Denice Derbes of the Louisiana Chapter.

Addressing Sr. Petrini, Hale said that “what the world and the Church needs most today are what I call reluctant leaders”, leaders who “do not necessarily seek leadership but, instead, respond to God’s call to leadership because of the unique skills, gifts and charisms that He has bestowed upon them”. They are leaders who “who accept the tremendous challenges of leadership despite the notoriety - not because of it”, leaders “who accept the daily crosses known only to God and do not complain about them but offer them back in sacrifice to the mission”. These leaders “are so tightly connected to God in prayer that they make Him manifest in everything that they do”.

The visit of the General Secretary and the Delegation of the Governorate to the United States of America began on Wednesday, 18 September, and ended on Monday, 23 September, with their departure for Rome.