This icon by Father Edward Catich depicting Mary and the infant Jesus was considered controversial at the time of its completion in 1950.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — Christ the King Chapel on the St. Ambrose University campus features several examples of Father Edward Catich’s artwork, including an icon painting and hand-carved slates.
Earlier this year, Paul Herrera, a protégé of Father Catich, spoke on two of the late priest’s more controversial works — the icon called “Theophora” and a series of unconventional holy cards.
Amy Nielsen, president of the Art Legacy League, assisted with the visual part of the presentation. The league, to which both belong, promotes and teaches about the works of Father Catich through classes and displays at a studio in Davenport.
Both Herrera and Nielsen were students of Father Catich and regard him as their mentor. Following the death of Father Catich in 1979, both taught classes at then-St. Ambrose College.
Background of Catich
During the talk that was part of the “From A(mbrose) to (Gen.) Z” conference, Herrera said Catich was born in Montana and orphaned at age 12. He and three of his siblings went to the Mooseheart orphanage near Aurora, Illinois. While there, Catich learned the art of sign painting and worked in the Chicago area following high school. He also played in a band.
Following studies at the Art Institute of Chicago, he went to St. Ambrose College in Davenport for music. A talented jazz musician by that time, Catich negotiated an arrangement with the college through which he received aid covering the cost of his undergraduate tuition, room and board in exchange for leading the school’s band. He completed his studies in three years. Then he earned his master’s degree from the University of Iowa. Catich was recognized for his exceptional ability in art and music, but the greatest desire in his heart was to become a priest. After graduate school, he studied for the priesthood for the Diocese of Davenport in Rome.
Ordained to the priesthood in Rome in November 1938, Father Catich returned to St. Ambrose in 1939. There he founded and taught in the art department until his death on Good Friday, 1979.
Theophora
This icon by Father Catich was ahead of its time, Herrera noted. Theophora depicts a bi-racial holy family. Mary, with fair skin, holds a Black infant Jesus. The work was submitted for a competition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1950. Although it did not move on from judging in Chicago, the artwork returned to the St. Ambrose campus.
Herrera pointed out this artwork was done prior to the Civil Rights Movement, so some saw it as controversial.
Herrera described the symbolism in the icon. He made clear that Father Catich did not leave notes containing explanations, so his commentary was based on his and other students’ interpretation of the piece. “I knew some of his motives,” Herrera said of Father Catich.
Behind Mary and the infant Jesus is 24 karat, leaf gold. Father Catich often used leaf gold in his slates. The gold represents the good in the world, according to Herrera.
The 12 stars in Mary’s halo represent the 12 disciples, Herrera said. The Black infant Jesus is holding a white mask — possibly representing the various races with which he could identify.
On Mary’s sleeve is a red star, similar to the Jewish star. Herrera believes this star symbolizes the future sacrifice she will bear for her only son. Jesus’ garment is also red, showing his sacrifice to come. The infant holds a green apple.
On the outer part of the work, blue areas represent the evil in the world. In the upper, left of the painting are the Greek names for Lenin and Stalin. The mousetrap depicts Christ being trapped/tempted by the devil. The pitcher of water is holy water, but “Is it half empty or half full?” Herrera asked.
In the upper right section of the icon is broken glass in a window depicting Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass) in November 1938, during which there was state-sponsored violence against the Jewish people in Nazi Germany. A ribbon and demons also are depicted.
The lower left part of the icon shows a serpent, meant to symbolize Satan and Christian persecution. In the lower right, there is a ribbon with part of the verse from John 10:16 written in German, Slovak and English.
It is rumored that there was a letter sent to Bishop Ralph Hayes at the time about this work. But Herrera said he has not seen a copy.
Holy cards
An ongoing controversy brewed for a while between the Vatican, Diocese of Davenport, Father Catich and The Catholic Messenger.
The Vatican felt the holy cards that Father Catich not only designed, but printed on his Catfish Press, were objectionable and should be withdrawn them from circulation.
Some examples portrayed Jesus, Mary and Joseph in contemporary attire. Joseph is wearing bib overalls, holding a saw and also holding a young Jesus who is wearing a T-shirt and shorts, while carrying a toy sailboat. Another card depicts Mary with Asian facial features.
After Bishop Hayes relayed the disappointment by the Vatican to Father Catich, he told the priest to stop making the cards. The priest then went to The Catholic Messenger, which printed his holy card art in the paper. Later, a second letter from the Vatican arrived.
There are still holy cards available that were printed by Father Catich himself, Herrera noted.
Stations of the Cross
Father Catich created a modernized version of the Stations of the Cross as part of his work, Herrera said. The late priest put people in modern dress, such as jeans and T-shirts, into the station scenes.
“He made them 20th century modern man. He depicted everyday life,” said Herrera. One station shows the “paparazzi” taking “pictures” with a camera.
Herrera noted that several faces in Father Catich’s Station of the Cross are of people he knew. Other symbolism was put into some of the stations. He noted Father Catich and one of his professors at the University of Iowa did not get along. The 10th station in Christ the King Chapel, where Jesus is stripped of his garments, shows a pile of books on the ground in the slate. The top book has an “I” on it for the University of Iowa, which is probably an allusion to the professor, according to Herrera.
As far as Herrera knows, no citations or warnings were given from the Vatican to Father Catich for his Stations of the Cross.
Regarding some of Father Catich’s work, “Rome did not think these (holy cards) were appropriate,” Herrera said. “But Father was a forward thinker,” he said.
