A moving and joyous celebration of Sister Thea Bowman, her vision for the church, and her model of humanity.
Sister Thea Bowman (1937-1980), an African-American Franciscan, is one of the great treasures of the American Catholic church. Through her integration of Catholic tradition and black pride she serves as a beacon for a church that celebrates diversity, inclusiveness, and love for all God’s children. Through her ministry of public speaking she touched countless people, bearing a message of faith and hope rooted in the Gospels and the wisdom of the Spirituals. Through her final ordeal with cancer she offered an inspiring example of what it means to be “fully alive,” and to “live until one dies.”
Mickey McGrath is among the many whose life was changed by her witness and story. Inspired by her message—that God wants each of one of us to “let our little light shine”—he found his own vocation as a religious artist. Here, through a series of 12 stunning paintings and his reflections on her life and teaching, McGrath celebrates the spirit of one of the great prophets and spiritual guides of our time. It is a message that makes one rejoice in life and say Amen!
Brother Michael O’Neill McGrath, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, is an artist, writer, and popular speaker. His work has been featured in many books, including Women of Mercy, Blessed Art Thou, and Patrons and Protectors. He lives in Philadelphia.
