Light of the World Collection,Vatican, and a Foundation ~ 2007

A Journey of Self-Discovery

In the fall of 2007, I had a very dear close friend who was grieving the death of her husband. They had already booked a trip to Europe, and now he could not accompany her on the trip. Knowing the grieving process, and having taken classes in counseling as well as ministry, I decided I would go with her in his place. I knew the trip would be more difficult for her if she went alone. Having embarked on the journey with her, I found myself in a group of some amazing protestant-based believers, whose faith was alive, vibrant, and exactly what I needed at that one point in my life. While I helped her to overcome the loss of her husband, who was also her best friend, I found myself also deeply touched by the other people on the trip.

Now, in addition to this, if anyone in the United States remembers what was occurring politically at that time, you will remember we were at war with Iraq. President George W. Bush increased troops into Iraq and American news was bombarding the public with the information of the war, almost non-stop. I was happy to get a break from American news which always focused on creating fear in the people to get people to agree with what they wanted the people to agree with… or at other times for just sensationalism. Fearful news Sells (I learned this a long time ago during my studies)…unfortunately, for the news channels - I was sick of their propaganda and them trying to sell fear. I needed some encouragement - especially at that time in my life when I was still a young mother, and had two little children. As most of you know, a lot of what I do is fueled by the love of my children and creating a better world for them to live in. My friend also agreed with this, and thought a great way for me to begin to really focus on what I wanted to do with my life and my studies was by taking a moment away to recenter. She also thought it was a great way for me to get a break from the boys - for a moment, and go on a little trip to be refueled and energized in my motherhood. Although I had a lot of energy and love for my children at that time, I had not taken a break or had time away, just for me throughout that time from their birth until this moment. This brought me to a point to recognize, things needed to change. War was not the way, and peace was the answer. This was the first moment in my life, I worked on some form of a proposal for a peace treaty, peace agreement, as well as had the idea of opening a foundation, and began to think of what I would want to leave behind for my children. I thought about the foundation and what I would want to focus on with the foundation and started working on a business model and thought of all of the pieces it would include, what I would want to do, and what that would look like. I also started thinking of ways, we as a nation, could help other countries, and create peace on deeper levels. While I saw wars ripping families and people apart, I thought this is not the solution or the answer to this problem, but instead just creates more devastation, pain, and hurt to those involved. I wrote a treaty, and kept writing it on the trip… until I came to a point where I had to do something…So, I went to my first mass at the Vatican. At the same time, while writing the peace treaty - I also realized the thing I didn’t want to focus on was war. What I wanted to focus on was families, love, people being together, how to create inner peace, cultivate love, and bring things to people that are enjoyable (including arts, faith, and culture). Hence the idea of the Foundation was born. Please see the pictures below — and what did I find in all of THAT? I found I was standing there with a peace proposal/treaty in my hand … and … speaking to whatever Cardinal I could find; I told him I had a peace treaty and would like someone to give it to the Pope…. That Cardinal told me I had to go through the chain of the command to give something to the Pope. I was told I had to go through my home bishop to get anything to the Pope. And I thought - you have to be kidding me — this could end a war - and I am here right now - and I have to go all the way back to the United States to turn this in to my home bishop and wait for it - the paperwork to get here again - and find a way into the hands of the Pope - -when you - the Cardinal - could just hand this to him yourself? (It was a good thing I wrote the underlying goals and mission of the foundation along the way, or I would have been greatly disappointed)….

Well, as you can imagine, the Cardinal I spoke to that day, did not necessarily like that. Remember, by the time I arrived in Rome, I had already read the lives of the saints (which probably filled me with zeal to even do this, or even think to hand this to the cardinal that was present that day when I was going through St. Peter’s Bascilica. Also know by this point in time, that I already had my two children - and that I wanted to make the world a better place for them. I also did not want anyone attacking the United States). I asked the Cardinal one more time to see if he could take it to the Pope…and he just kept saying, that is the way it is, you have to go through your home bishop. . .. . After taking some photographs and images, and touring, after the mass… I left… and on that train ride back from Rome to Austria, I cried. I could not believe I had something in my hands that could change the lives - many lives - of others, and made it there to the Vatican, and that now people and families that were hurting - didn’t have what they needed, and the church didn’t have what they needed - because I needed to go home and make an appointment with my home bishop and mail it in and all these other pieces.

My whole life changed that day. I realized there has to be a way to get the information to a Pope that may need it. That there needed to be open communication with priests and bishops if there was something wonderful that needed to be shared, or ideas that needed to be shared. I became really empowered in lay leadership and recognized that something needed to change. When I returned home, I became more in contact with priests, my home bishop, and other bishops and Cardinals (per the Cardinal’s advice). But I also recognized I walked away firmly with an idea for a foundation, and that my primary focus was to be my family, faith, the arts, and culture and anything I did for others in relation to peace and other major world issues. I also walked away more firmly grounded in my relationship with Christ. I also found through that whole trip - inner peace and Inner Peace. I learned how to create and cultivate inner peace. I learned that Christ is Inner Peace the first level of Inner Peace that can ever exist. That no matter what happens we are to stay grounded in Christ. I also began to understand the feeling of inner peace, what it felt like, how to spot it when someone brings you inner peace, and how to cultivate it within yourself. Through asking myself on the train back from Rome, why did God bring me this far, to just have me not turn in this treaty - I realized - God brought me that far, to reveal to me what I really wanted to do with my life, as well as what I valued most, the inner movings of my spirit with the Holy Spirit, and where they were leading me for God, myself, my children/family, and others. I came back a different person and changed forever. I learned so many wonderful things about ecumenism, inter-religious dialogue, peace, inner peace, death and grieving through helping my friend grieve and heal, the joy of community and different cultures. I also experienced the beauty of God through the experience I had there, but also through my photography, and through the moments God provided that I was able to photograph, capture, and share with others. I was reminded of the joy of different languages, my own love for language, my own deeper inner joy and love for music, faith, and culture…..I discovered part of my dream for the future - for arts, faith, and culture and the church - as well as for myself and my children - having the beginning thoughts of the foundation there. I came back with a deeper understanding of Christ and a stronger foundation in how Christ really was and is and who Christ really was and is… as well as with one of my first collections - The Light of the World Collection… I came back refilled and renewed. And yes, my children still knew who I was, and were very happy to see me, and enjoyed the photographs, as well as the collections and the stories, and the treats I brought back to them from my trip. They were also influenced by the cultures I exposed them to beforehand and once I returned. As time went by, the ideas of the foundation came along with me. I spent time with my grandparents as well as in academia, in language, and in culture, as well as the arts, and in faith- teaching about faith to others, and fostering faith in others; while also working on global issues, contributing what I could to help with whatever causes and efforts, as well as consulting in whatever formats available to help create changes that needed to be made for the good of all. I am thankful to all of those people who kept me grounded along the way - keeping me focused on what was and is important to me, my family, as well as the other areas.

Please find below some of our photographs taken during my trip to the Vatican. We are continuing to add to our collections of this trip abroad ~ but also, we are continuing to upload our Light of the World Collection - which has yet to be completely uploaded to our site. We are happy to share this truth and this story with you as we continue to move forward on opening the foundation. I also have a very special thank you for someone very special to me and very dear to my heart who inspires me everyday; who I find to be wonderful and amazing in every way, and have asked to be Co-Founder and/or Partner to the foundation (as well as many other things). He is my best friend, and so much more. We hope this Collection will also inspire you - given the current situations of the time. Remember that ecumenism is a beautiful thing. And yes, I am saying this as still being a very strong and devout Catholic. Also remember things are not always what they seem. This lends itself to many other areas, and things occurring at this time. Part of the point in sharing this story now is for you to remember to find your inner peace… and to let Inner Peace/Christ guide you forward… also to draw strength from your faith at this time and allow it to empower you, on all levels, to be who God is calling you to be. But, there is even more to this ~ it is a call for you to open up your heart, and to step out of whatever assumptions you have made, or even the way things have always been done, or even to allow yourself to fully love those that you love. If there is something you have been putting off doing, then do it. Or if there are people you have been putting off for awhile, to open up your heart and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Allow yourself to be loved and to know you are loved by Christ, and by others. Allow other people to be in your life that care about you, but also that you care about. Lastly, remember to see the beauty and goodness that surrounds you despite the situations, and know that someone, somewhere, is helping to create a change for the better. This could be a big change, or a little change… it really doesn’t matter….and it can apply to any area of life. Know of our prayers for all of you. Thank you for all of your love and your support as we continue to create the world we would like to see, but also to create the changes in our own lives, as well as in the areas of arts, faith, and culture and all those areas.

The Light of the World Collection, taken exclusively on this trip, is a very large collection in itself. Only certain featured pieces from this collection will be found under the Fine Art Gallery Section - Light of the World Collection tab https://www.thegrenchusfoundation.org/fine-art-gallery-light-of-the-world-collection. These pieces will be ones where I was deeply touched by God in and on the journey; where God caused a major change or transformation of myself to occur during this specific trip - and where God made clear to me God’s full presence, in the world, in the church, in my faith, in the arts, in culture, and in others. This collection here is specifically all the pieces of the collection taken in Rome or en-route to and from Rome. It is just one portion of that trip. The rest of the collection will be added in different areas on our website and will take some time to be added. It includes our time in Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Again, the Light of the World Collection tab on our site will only feature certain pieces of the larger collection. The Light of the World Collection on our site is also currently under construction, and we hope to have it ready soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy this piece of the Light of the World Collection.

Sincerely,

Mary E. Grenchus

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The Grenchus Foundation