Around Town: Be Welcoming, Son of a Preacherman, Catholic voters’ guide . . .

Look for ‘Be Welcoming’ as you’re walking up Burrard Street by Christ Church Cathedral.

Be on the lookout for a new work of public art on church property when you’re in the downtown core.

Be Welcoming by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz was installed at the Burrard doors of Christ Church Cathedral October 14. The sculpture invites us to reflect on hospitality and see the sacred in the stranger.

A note on the church website states:

The ‘Be Welcoming’ Sculpture was created in 2019, inspired by the same scripture text that is at the centre of the ‘Angels Unawares’  monument in St. Peter’s Square – Hebrews 13:2 “Be welcoming to strangers, many have entertained angels unawares.”

The sculpture is a visual interpretation of what is considered one of the most beautiful, poetic passages in the Bible. The sculpture shows a weary traveler/pilgrim who visually transforms into an angel when one walks over to the seat that the figure is welcoming the viewer to take. 

‘Be Welcoming’ shows us that all humanity possesses a spiritual nature resembling angels. It reminds us that we can become like angels on our journey through life, and also that spirituality is found only when one is generous to oneself, others and God. 

The sculpture has already been installed on some of the most spiritual places in the world associated with Christian pilgrimages – El Camino de Santiago in Spain and the St. Padre Pio Shrine in Southern Italy. 

More about the sculpture and Schmalz’s work can be found be here. 

Homeless Jesus, in front of Holy Rosary Cathedral.

His works of art can be found scattered around the globe, but Homeless Jesus statue can also be seen just a few blocks away from Christ Church, outside the doors of Holy Rosary Cathedral.

I posted another article about Schmalz in 2024, when he spoke at a Corpus Christi–St. Mark’s College fundraising breakfast.

Schmalz spoke about his transition from being a student steeped in the avant-garde of the modern art world to becoming the deeply Catholic artist who, in 2019, had the privilege of having one of his statues, ‘Angels Unaware,’ installed at St. Peter’s Square in Rome – the first sculpture to be installed there in four centuries.

Go here for the full article.

Son of a Preacherman

Ins Choi. Photo will be in Vancouver performing ‘Son of a Preacherman’ November 10 – 14. Photo: Pat Bolduc

Pacific Theatre does not need any help promoting its next show. Ins Choi’s Son of a Preacherman November 10 – 14 run is already more than 70 percent sold out. So anyone keen to go had better get a move on.

But the show is worth noting anyway, as it has gained some serious national attention. It is just completing a sold out run in Toronto.

When performed earlier in Vancouver, it was nominated for six Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards and won for Outstanding Original Script and Significant Artistic Achievement.

Pacific Theatre says of the show:

Ins Choi and Pacific Theatre hit the road with Son of a Preacherman, bringing this award-winning show to audiences across Canada.

Bursting with warmth, wit, and musical flair, Choi takes audiences on an intimate and engaging journey through stories of faith, creativity and life as the only son of a Korean church pastor.

Blending spoken word, storytelling and live music performed by a three-piece band, this one-of-a-kind performance moves effortlessly between laughter and reflection, and stays with you long after the curtain falls.

Ins Choi was interviewed by Tom Power on CBC Radio September 15. An article on CBC Arts covered some of the interaction. Here is a portion:

When Ins Choi was a kid, much of his time was spent in two places: the Korean immigrant church in downtown Toronto where his father was a pastor, and his uncle’s store, Kim’s Grocer.

Ins Choi with CBC Radio’s Tom Power.

The Canadian actor and playwright drew on those experiences to write his acclaimed 2011 play Kim’s Convenience, which later became the hit sitcom of the same name.

But before he built a career in the arts, Choi seriously considered becoming a pastor like his dad. In an interview with Q‘s Tom Power, he says his love of storytelling was actually born in the church.

“I grew up in the church . . . so I kind of grew up hearing stories,” he says. “I didn’t realize this until later in life, but [I was] being affected by the spoken word, as you would, in a church, and the effect that words can have on people. Like inspiring or challenging or creating a community out of words and stories, a sense of belonging.” . . .

“I wanted to do what my dad did,” he says. “But then inside I had this growing desire to create things, whether it was songs or poems or short stories…. And so it was that tug of war of, well, do I enter this field that’s kind of known, like, becoming a preacher or becoming a pastor? Or do I venture out into this kind of unknown territory?”

Luckily, Jesus came to Choi in a dream to answer his questions and confirm his decision to follow his heart.

“Jesus came to me and he flicked me on my forehead,” Choi says. “I’m like, ‘Jesus, what do you want me to do with my life? … What do I do?’ And then Jesus said, ‘Well, what are you good at? What do you like doing?’ I was like, ‘Oh, I kind of like acting. I think I’m kind of good at it. I like writing stuff.’ And then Jesus was like, ‘Then go and do that!’ Boink. And then he flicked me again and I woke up.”

Go here for the article and the full podcast.

There will be a special Korean Community Night October 13, featuring “a warm introduction by Senator Yonah Martin, delicious catering by Ann Woo and a post-show conversation with Ins Choi hosted by writer Hannah Amaris Roh.”

Voters’ guide

Most Christian groups are encouraging their members to vote, though usually without offering much specific guidance.

Archbishop Richard Smith’s October 16 message is a good example:

On October 24, we will choose the next government of British Columbia. I encourage every eligible Catholic in the Archdiocese of Vancouver to take part by voting prayerfully and with a well-formed conscience.

The decisions made by our provincial government affect our families, our communities and especially those who are most vulnerable.

They touch many parts of our daily lives, including health care, education, housing and public safety. As Catholics, we are called to consider these issues in light of our faith, always respecting the dignity of every person and seeking the good of all.

Voting is one way we can take responsibility for the life of our community and help shape the future of our province. I hope you will take part.

Catholic Conscience

An October 19 article on The B.C. Catholic site went a little bit further, noting:

In light of these issues that the province oversees, Catholic Conscience has published a guide to help navigate various party platforms. Catholic Conscience is a non-partisan civic engagement organization, focused on civic evangelization through Catholic social teaching.

The aim of their resources is to form citizens in the full breadth of our faith’s social vision, and thereby forming our Catholic community into a diverse, influential, inclusive and gently persuasive family of voices in civic life..

Catholic Conscience has put considerable work into their guide, which lays out, in some detail, first ‘Church Teaching,’ then responses from the six provincial parties – Centre BC, Christian Heritage Party, Conservative Party of BC, Green Party of BC, New Democratic Party of BC and OneBC – followed by ‘Points to Ponder.’

The issues considered are:

• The Sanctity of Human Life
• Stewardship of Creation
• Family, Community & the Common Good
• An Economy for All
• The Individual & Society: Subsidiarity
• Solidarity
• Good Government: Democracy, Justice & Peace.

Go here for the guide.

ARPA Canada (Association for Reformed Political Action) – “a grassroots Christian political advocacy organization” – has also prepared quite an extensive voters’ guide, but it appears they have only sent it out to their followers.

If there are other local Christian groups offering detailed guidance I would appreciate hearing about them.

Events are listed below, but there is also an Events page and a Jobs page on the Church for Vancouver site.