Page 7 - Br. Chapman :: Opening the Gift

Magnificat

from an old photograph

Mr. Lamb told the story of a distraught About this time the United States from acrylics on canvas to the Native
young men who had just lost his wife. He Province of the Congregation of American art of pottery, basket weaving,
had left the viewing room to compose Christian Brothers was reconstituted as and enamels on metal. His revival of
himself and was in an unoccupied room two provinces. The brothers from the this later form of handicraft served as a

where Mr. Lamb had temporarily left east were returning to their home areas. means of expression and future income
some of the unhung Chapmans. The To make sure Brother Chapman would for students and their parents. After a few
young man recounted that as he began to remain west the brothers designated years at the mission Brother was invited to
contemplate taking his own life, his gaze him community superior and eventually take time off for personal renewal and to
fell on one of the paintings resting on a a member of the Western Province attend the International Tertian Program
chair. As the evening progressed he found Leadership Team. of the Congregation in Rome.
himself returning again and again to the
image, later identified as “Magnificat”. After a decade in leadership Brother
The young man attributed his strength to Chapman was assigned to the Brothers’
carry on to that work of art. Community at St. John’s Indian Mission,
Laveen, Arizona, for ministry among the
Native American children. Brother moved