I recently had the pleasure of leading a “Sip and Paint” gathering at the brand new Saint Paul VI High School in Chantilly, VA. This beautiful, modern facility replaces the older, smaller school in Fairfax which the Oblates opened in 1983 and administered until 2000.
For those who are not familiar, “Sip and Paint” gatherings are where folks sip on their wine while working on a simple painting which an instructor like myself,- in partnership with the wine- guides them through. The only difference with my version, as I told them at the very beginning, is that I preferred to think of it as a “Gulp and Paint” because it was my first time doing such an event.
I was delighted when Principal Tom Opfer, himself an alumni of Paul VI, invited me to instruct this event, as I am always ready for something new, fun, and inspiring.
The evening was made possible through the school’s annual Spring Auction. Limited by the size of the art room, the group topped off at twenty very enthusiastic, fun-loving people, many of whom informed me of their great affection for the Oblates and St. Francis de Sales. It was made clear that we are missed but not forgotten at St. Paul VI.
Upon my arrival at the school, I was greeted by two banners of Sts. Francis and Jane which immediately warmed my heart in this very sleek and modern facility. Further down the hall is the Fr. Don Heet Reception Area, with a plaque bearing Don’s young face. Coincidentally, a few minutes later, I was warmly greeted by the very real, and much older, Don who happened to be there for a Board meeting. As I toured the school, quotes of St. Francis occasionally appeared on the gleaming white walls giving me a sense of comfort and homeliness.
I began the evening with a thirty-minute slide show which included Salesian images and quotes about beauty from Pope Paul VI. It was also the perfect opportunity to share my renderings of Sts. Hildegard of Bingen and Brigid of Ireland, each of whom promoted beer for physical and spiritual wellness. Then, step by step, I led the group through drawing the outline of a butterfly at which point they filled the wings with colors and designs of their own creative choice.
What was most powerful for me to witness was the loving spirit of community and friendship so evident among the participants. One woman, from the first graduating class in 1987, told me how much she and the other students loved the Oblates back in the day because of their Salesian spirit of kindness and gentleness. Others were long-time staff or faculty whose very fond memories make them wish the Oblates were still in the school today. One married couple are proud parishioners at St. John Neumann in nearby Reston, and Principal Tom Opfer has as much love and passion for Salesian spirituality as any Oblate I have ever known.
For me, and I suspect for each person there, it was perfect timing for an evening of creativity, reminiscing, and laughter as a mental reprieve from the recent events that have been weighing heavily on our hearts.
In this unsettling time for Oblate community life and the many uncertainties of our future, the “Sip and Paint” gathering was truly a gift from the Holy Spirit and St. Francis de Sales himself who said, “We pray best before beauty.” And, as Dorothy Day loved to say, quoting Dostoevsky, “In the end, beauty will save the world.”
