Intentional Healing through Sacred Arts
Licensed Psychotherapist * Iconographer * Practitioner of Spiritual Arts
Installation
of
St. Stephen &
St. Lawrence
Art Installation by the hand of Andrea Bowes and Catherine deShazer​
The Story of the
Cathedral of St. John's Icon Installation
In 2013 a small group of deacons from the Milwaukee metro area got together to discuss how to honor the Diaconate of Southeastern Wisconsin. They came up with the idea to commission the writing of two icons, St. Stephen, who was the first Deacon of the Catholic Church and St. Lawrence who was known for his charity to the poor.
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There are currently 122 active deacons in the Archdiocese serving in many different roles and their idea was both to honor the Diaconate and to promote more vocations to this important work. As ordained
ministers, deacons serve in a variety of positions, including liturgical duties, work with the homeless and incarcerated and educational and spiritual support within their respective parishes. These men are self-supported and serve generously in the fulfillment of their calling.
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The idea received approval from the Archdiocese and the Diaconate Senate, a fund was established and the search for the iconographers began. In April 2014 the committee found two local women iconographers, Andrea Bowes and Katherine De Shazer, who paint in the traditional Egg-tempera Byzantine technique. The images were chosen and the icon writing began on August 4th, 2014.
The iconographers continued their work until the end of October, when the icons were brought to their studio to cure and await installation. The icons were installed in December of 2015 by the Most Reverend Archbishop Jerome Listecki with many deacons and friends in attendance.