Beholding the ‘gentle rain’ of God’s Mercy

On Thursday 21 April Fr. Michael Dunleavy, OP gave a lecture entitled “Beholding the ‘gentle rain’ of God’s Mercy: The Beauty of Divine Mercy envisioned by Fra Angelico. Fr. Michael is at present finishing his doctoral dissertation for the Angelicum on the life and theological insights in the works of Fra. Angelico. He lives with the brethren of the Roman Province in the convent of San Domenico in Fiesole.

The afternoon was arranged as part of the Province’s celebration of the Jubilee of the Order and the Jubilee of Mercy. The presentation focused on the wonderful works of Fra. Angelico and how they bring us to the contemplation of mercy in the presence of Our Holy Father St. Dominic. We were reminded from the liturgy that “Divine Mercy [is] the source of that authentic peace that the risen Christ offers us. The wounds of the risen and glorious Lord are the permanent signs of God’s merciful love for humanity. From them flows a spiritual light that enlightens consciences and pours into hearts comfort and hope”. Within the heritage of the Order there is a wealth of master pieces, rich in theology aiding us in our contemplation of God’s mercy. In the discussion which followed the presentation it was noted how the person of St. Dominic played a central role in the art of Fra. Angelico inviting us to make ourselves present in the story of God’s Incarnate Mercy. The afternoon concluded with a meditative presentation of the different pieces Fr. Michael had spoken about accompanied by music.

We are deeply grateful to Fr. Michael for sharing his scientific knowledge and theological insights with us. The whole afternoon was a worthy celebration of the Order and its magnificent heritage.