By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
Father Tyler Tenbarge, Diocesan Director of Vocations, “was blown away” with a new painting of St. Dominic Savio, which was unveiled July 29 at the House of Formation in Evansville.
Missouri artist Lisa Ober unveiled the painting for several members of Savio and the diocesan vocations staff at the House of Formation. Father Tenbarge said the plan for now is once the art is framed, it will be hung in the House of Discernment, where Evansville’s Savio nights are held.
The House of Formation is for men in their first year of seminary formation, while the House of Discernment is for men not in seminary to get a taste of what seminary could be like. Both houses are on the campus of Sacred Heart Church on the west side of Evansville.
“I was blown away,” Father Tenbarge said. “When she pulled the foam protective covering back, I thought it was a photograph. It looks hyper realistic. And when you get close, you can see the brushstrokes. It totally exceeded my expectations.”
Henry Bohleber, a parishioner at St. Philip Parish in Posey County, has been a member of Savio for about six years. He was one of four members of Savio to be present as the painting was unveiled. He said the painting is “more like a modern version of Savio” and is something with which a lot of young guys can relate.
Cale Ziliak, a member of St. James Parish in Haubstadt, was also present during the presentation of the painting. He has been involved with Savio for the past four years.
“I knew he was supposed to look a little bit older but it kind of blew me away how realistic it looked, even though it was a painting with a brush and paint. It looked like it was an image taken. It was so realistic.”
Father Tenbarge said the desire for the image of St. Dominic Savio began in October of 2018, when the Savio group was formed. Most art of St. Dominic Savio, Father Tenbarge said, depicted the saint at 10 years old, when he started becoming holy; sickly because he died young and was often sick; or in a posture of prayer. Father Tenbarge said he could not find a relatable image of Dominic Savio showing him as a normal boy.
During a seminarian visit at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, Father Tenbarge noticed an image of Pope Francis on the wall, which was created by Ober. Father Tenbarge then contacted Ober, who was commissioned with the project. Father Tenbarge had certain elements in mind for the painting, including St. Dominic Savio holding the cross because of his story regarding the stone duel and a rosary in his hand because of his devotion to Mary. Father Tenbarge stressed he “didn’t want to depart entirely” from how the church has shown him for the past 150 years.
Ober drove from the St. Louis area to deliver the painting July 29. She said they have been working on the project since March. Ober said she loved working with Father Tenbarge and Karla Dehner, vocations office coordinator for the diocese. Ober added it was great learning the story of St. Dominic Savio during the process.
“I thought the image was terrific for what he plans to use it for,” Ober said. “And the kind of inspiration I think for young guys that you don’t often find. So I love that.”
Father Tenbarge said for the men in the House of Formation and House of Discernment, he hopes the image reminds them that not only can they become holy now, but they are even helping the people around them and the young men that they minister to become holy and that they can attain it.
For the guys in Savio, Father Tenbarge hopes when they see the painting, “they say that could be me.
“That’s what I want is they look at Dominic Savio, and that’s what I wanted from the beginning, is I can become a saint,” Father Tenbarge said. “I can find my vocation. I can be holy. And I hope now with this image, they can look at him and go, he’s my age. He’s got my kind of hair. He looks like what I can look like, and I want to be more like him.”