This spring I wanted to create a way for others to experience the power and sadness of the shoes found along the trails. I wanted it to be a meditative experience, a personal experience. I awoke one morning thinking I could create the entire labyrinth from the shoes themselves and mentioned this to my good friend, Norma. Being an enthusiastic supporter of my work, she mentioned it to Leo, at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Tucson. They have a beautiful labyrinth.
A phone call turned the creative idea into a reality. Most Holy Trinity donated a 900 sq' canvas to paint a 31'x31' labyrinth so it could be used by various organizations. The top picture is me just after I'd finished. Thanks for volunteers from Most Holy Trinity for helping with the final details.
In April the Catholic Reporter sponsored a conference, Eucharist Without Borders, in Rio Rico, Arizona where the labyrinth was displayed for the first time. The three images above are from that event. People were deeply moved by the shoes and by realizing that only a few miles beyond the walls of the hotel, people were walking the desert.
At the end of July, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet asked to have the labyrinth at their annual meeting. Again, many people expressed how deeply they were moved as they walked among the shoes. The strangest thing that occurred was a small fire! As two sisters walked along, they saw smoke rising from one corner. No one was near the burning corner. The Sisters immediately ran to the corner and poured water from the jugs onto the fire. There were no clues as to how the fire started. Fortunately, only a corner burned. Perhaps, it was a way for the Holy Spirit to emphasize the suffering and the heat that travelers experience in the Arizona desert.
A phone call turned the creative idea into a reality. Most Holy Trinity donated a 900 sq' canvas to paint a 31'x31' labyrinth so it could be used by various organizations. The top picture is me just after I'd finished. Thanks for volunteers from Most Holy Trinity for helping with the final details.
In April the Catholic Reporter sponsored a conference, Eucharist Without Borders, in Rio Rico, Arizona where the labyrinth was displayed for the first time. The three images above are from that event. People were deeply moved by the shoes and by realizing that only a few miles beyond the walls of the hotel, people were walking the desert.
At the end of July, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet asked to have the labyrinth at their annual meeting. Again, many people expressed how deeply they were moved as they walked among the shoes. The strangest thing that occurred was a small fire! As two sisters walked along, they saw smoke rising from one corner. No one was near the burning corner. The Sisters immediately ran to the corner and poured water from the jugs onto the fire. There were no clues as to how the fire started. Fortunately, only a corner burned. Perhaps, it was a way for the Holy Spirit to emphasize the suffering and the heat that travelers experience in the Arizona desert.
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