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Human Dignity: The Problem we all live with, Norman Rockwell, 1968. At first sight this painting comes across as a statement on racism, social desegregation and labelling. On the wall at the back is scribbled ‘Nigger’ – an offensive term used to describe black-skinned people, placing them into a category of people – a type, and thus, promoting desegregation. Such labels totally disrespect the human person, rudely describing the person through appearance alone. The contempt and lack of tolerance towards people who appear different from us (this does not have to be necessarily related to appearance – it could also be intellect, skill, abilities, tribe, social class etc.) is represented by the tomato which was thrown at the wall. The splash of red, evoking the idea of blood, and of violence, as the result of hate and anger. It raises the question – why should a young, innocent, harmless girl, need to be protected against such acts of violence? Why should she need to be accompanied by four full-grown men on her way to school – a daily activity for white-skinned children? Thus, it raises another issue – the struggle for education, denied to a number of children who face such oppression, acts of violence and terror, who do not feel safe even going to school. Education is fundamental for a person’s growth, for their development – intellectual, social, personal, spiritual. It is a vital part of a person’s journey of self-discovery. This painting reminds us, however, that racism, meaningless hate, and violence, could very well rob individuals of this basic necessity to express their humanity. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE

Jesus Christ: Lamentation over the Dead Christ, Andrea Mantegna, c. 1480. This painting has often been called a tour-de-force of perspective. Jesus had never been seen quite like this. Christ, having been removed from the cross has been placed upon a marble slab. Rather than the typical embrace of His Mother, we see Mary at the side, age-appropriate and weeping. The other figures are likely St. John, with his mouth agape, and Mary Magdalene, given her relationship with the anointing of Jesus and the presence of an alabaster jar at the rear of the slab. Christ, lightly covered by a damp cloth, rests His head upon a pillow. We see His wounds. His hands are pulled up in near-gesture. A barely discernable halo flickers around his head. This painting was found by Mantegna’s son in the artist’s personal collection at his death. Words by Linus Meldrum. SHARE

Children: Gone Fishing, Jim Daly SHARE

Youth: Depression, Destiny Blue SHARE

Afterlife: Life beyond, Francelle Pace Agius. Inspired by the sad loss of a very close relative through cancer, the painting portrays the young man, who despite his pain as described in the chemotherapy scenario sets the eyes of his spirit and heart on the image of the Crucified Lord from where he gets hope and the courage to move on. Not only strengthening his faith but also passing such values over to the little one in his arms as a lesson for life. "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Mt 11: 28) Words by Francelle Pace Agius. SHARE

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Body: Sleeping at a party, Brian Kershinik SHARE

Family: An Experiment on a Bird in an Air Pump, Joseph Wright of Derby, 1768. This painting portrays a family coming to terms with progress and the effects this brings with it. Different reactions include awe, curiosity, pride (of the father), aloofness and worry/sadness (combined to the idea that as much as progress can bring the family together, it could break them apart - lack of attention to each other, lack of dialogue or when dialogue becomes trivialised to a retelling of what each member has done or has to do at school/work etc, rather than conversation on more important topics). Progress and sadness also, since no one seems to notice the beauty of the bird which got trapped in the pump, save for the little girl who is crying. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE

Children: When they motivate you, Yannick Vicente. One of the paintings where Vicente, a French artist, draws himself his 4-year-old daughter Anaé in daily activities to describe how hard, memorable and worth it is to raise a daughter. SHARE

Human Dignity: Third of May, Francisco de Goya, 1808, Prado Museum, Madrid. This painting represents martyrdom – the martyrdom of Spanish individual in their uprising against political oppression of the invading French army, under Napoleon’s rule, in the beginning of the nineteenth century. In this brutal homicide, Spanish peasants were chosen indiscriminately (whether guilty or not of being involved in the rebellion), lined in a row and shot mercilessly.rnrnThemes of this painting: rn- Political oppression of the strong (the French army, armed with weapons) against the weak (the poor, unarmed individuals)rn- The threat to liberty, and to being robbed of their Spanish nationhood, their culture, their autonomy. The Spanish civilians had no say in the matter. They were condemned to death unjustly, with no fair trial. rn- The Spanish peasants have lost everything but their dignity. The individual in white clearly maintains his humanity even in the most dire of circumstances – in the way he looks sharply at the soldiers, he is bathed in light, and consciously consigned himself to die through one final gesture – his outstretched arms, as if to embrace all of humanity beneath his arms. This gesture immediately recalls that of Christ crucified, a parallel which is emphasised through the piercings in the martyr’s hands. Christ on the cross – Christ who was also robbed of everything, ridiculed and consigned. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE

Family: Stay at home Dad, Brian Kershink SHARE

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Children: Father and Child, Brian Kershinik SHARE

Environment: The Return of Youth - Fashion Collection, Lana Toskan, Fiona butler, Gwen Cheah, Linn Thuy Nguyen. This collection was featured in a fashion shop in Oxford Street London, 2016. The concept of burden is the vision for this collection. The layered shapes and silhouettes represent the burden we have put on the planet through overconsumption and the burden we now carry to change the way we live. SHARE

Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ, Alison Bonanno. Jesus staring eyes in the painting will stimulate the viewer to reflect about the inner soul. The absence of colour in the painting and sharp focus on the eyes depicts simplicity and inner quietness in contrast to today's chaotic life. SHARE

Human Dignity: Egypt Farmers. This wall painting represents ancient slave labour. Slave labour is not something which began with the birth of industrialism, but it had existed as of old. Slaves have no rights whatsoever, they are forced to work with little care for their wellbeing, for their livelihood and for their growth. These are people who are exploited, in search of an end other than the human person. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE

Jesus Christ: Christ in the House of His Parents, John Everett Millais, Google Art Project SHARE

Needs: Do I really need this? Think before you consume. SHARE

Easter: Greek Christians and other Eastern Churches dye their easter eggs red. Red, the colour of life and victory, symbolises Christ's blood. Eggs have always been a symbol of fertility and life, however with the advent of Christianity, the egg took on the symbol of Christ’s empty tomb. The cracking of the egg represents new life as well as Christ's resurrection. In the West, chocolate eggs rather than dyed eggs are used. Further information about Christian Symbol Literacy can be obtained from symbol-literacy@um.edu.mt SHARE

Social Justice: Fair trade is a way of buying and selling goods at a fair price. It aims to stop workers from being exploited by making sure that the people who make the goods get a fair slice of the profits. It has transformed the lives of many workers in poorer countries by enabling them to use their skills and talents to trade their way out of poverty. SHARE

Children: Grandma's smile, Daniel F. Gerhatz SHARE

Mercy: The return of the prodigal son, Rembrandt van Rijn. The true center of this painting is the hands of the father. On them all light is concentrated; on them the eyes of the bystanders are focused; in them mercy becomes flesh; upon them forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing come together, and, through them, not only the tired son, but also the worn-out father find their rest. Words by Henri J.M Noumen. SHARE

Family: Finding my home, Brian Kershinik. Finding a place where I can be myself, where I can belong, where I am loved for who I am. Or maybe finding a person with who I can be me? Can I also become a home for others? SHARE

Family: Climbing Mother, Brian Kershinik SHARE

Environment: A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be real if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings. It is clearly inconsistent to combat trafficking in endangered species while remaining completely indifferent to human trafficking, unconcerned about the poor, or undertaking to destroy another human being deemed unwanted. This compromises the very meaning of our struggle for the sake of the environment. It is no coincidence that, in the canticle in which Saint Francis praises God for his creatures, he goes on to say: “Praised be you my Lord, through those who give pardon for your love”. Everything is connected. Concern for the environment thus needs to be joined to a sincere love for our fellow human beings and an unwavering commitment to resolving the problems of society. Words by Pope Francis, Care of Our Common Home, Par 91. SHARE

Children: When they motivate you, Yannick Vicente. One of the paintings where Vicente, a French artist, draws himself his 4-year-old daughter Anaé in daily activities to describe how hard, memorable and worth it is to raise a daughter. SHARE

Saints: From the film, Clare and Francis. St. Francis once said that "Any man who will exclude any of God's creatures will do likewise to his fellow man." Francis believed that animals were important as they were also God's creatures. He easily bonded with animals and considered them his brothers and sisters. He once managed to tame a fierce wolf who frightened the villagers of Gubbio and was a source of great trouble to them. He told the villagers to leave the wolf some food daily. Eventually the villagers grew fond of the wolf and were deeply saddened when he died. SHARE

Love: This picture is one of a series of pictures which say something about love. It is illustrated by Puung, an illustrator based in Korea. In her artworks Puung celebrates the meaning of love as experienced in the litttle things of daily life. www.facebook.com/puuung1 SHARE

Human Dignity: Slave Market in Rome, Jean-Leon Gerome, 1884, Hermitage Museum. This painting represents the failure to recognise human worth. The men are first and foremost, judging the woman’s worth simply on her looks, on her exterior and beauty of her female body. The nude body can be considered as something utterly vulnerable (compare to the woman clutching at her knees, to shield her nudity, her vulnerability). The standing female is completely deprived of her dignity, she is being reduced to an object which can be bought at the market, to be exploited and used for the pleasure of those who are more powerful. The bidders fail to associate the human body with the human person – that the two are intimately linked, and that harming one, also harms the other; that violating the human body, also signifies a violation to a person’s dignity. In the background there is a crowd of semi-nude individuals, all waiting their turn to be judged. They are both female and male, indicating that this fate could be suffered by anyone. Anyone could be rendered vulnerable in the eyes of the powerful. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE

Mary: Mary - Mother of Life, Michael D.O'Brien. Mary conceived in her heart before her womb. Words by St. Augustine SHARE

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Suffering: SHARE

Woman: Photo: Khusen Rustamov. "In today’s complex society, characterized by plurality and globalization, there is need for greater recognition of woman’s capacity to educate to universal fraternity. When women have the possibility to fully transmit their gifts to the entire community, the very way in which society is understood and is organized is positively transformed, coming to reflect better the essential unity of the human family." Words by Pope Francis. https://zenit.org/articles/popes-address-to-plenary-assembly-of-the-pontifical-council-for-interreligious-dialogue/ SHARE

Family: Las Meninas, Diego Velázquez.(La famiglia di Filippo IV o Le damigelle d'onore), 1656, Museo del Prado, Madrid). Royalty, wealthy families. Where is the family? Non-family members are in the room...father and mother are in the doorway, at the very back, the daughters are surrounded by other people taking care of them, entertaining them. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE

Children: Nagypapa mesél (Grandpa tells), Richard Geiger. The warmth, the simplicity, the enjoyment, the bond, the love. SHARE

Peace: Peace starts in our heart. "Peace is a handcrafted gift that we must work for every day; but doing so in the small things, in daily ‘littleness.’ Great manifestations for peace, great international encounters, are not enough if peace is not then made in little things. On the contrary, you can speak of peace with splendid words, putting together a great conference… But if in your little things, in your heart, there is no peace, in your family there is no peace, in your neighbourhood there is no peace, in your place of work there is no peace, there will not be peace in the world." Words by Pope Francis, Audience, 8th Sept 2016 SHARE

Social Justice: What you buy and the money you spend effects people elsewhere. The way you buy could help to change conditions of workers all over the world. Shopping is another way to live out your values. SHARE

Bioethics: Life of a woman, Stonehouse. All human life, whatever it's appearance or size is worthy of care and protection. Words by Austen Ivereigh. SHARE

Christmas: Christmas Crib. SHARE

Marriage: Choosing Everything, Brain Kershinik SHARE

Saints: Wounded Saint, Brian Kershinik SHARE

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Children: A day with Grandpa, Hatem Aly SHARE

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Family: The Potato Eaters, Vincent Van Gogh SHARE

Marriage: Meausuring, Brain Kershinik SHARE

God: Biblescreen.com SHARE

Jesus Christ: La Pieta' (pity), Michelangelo. The contrasts between the living and the dead, a mother and her son, the human and divine. Michelangelo wanted the Pietà to be a depiction of the between God and his people through the sanctification of Jesus Christ. The Pietà suggests the horrific nature of Jesus's crucifixion and the painful reality of a mother losing her child. The death of Christ is essential to Christian doctrine since Christians believe that Jesus was God. The juxtaposition of Christ's human and divine natures is alive in the Pietà. Words inspired by faithology.com SHARE

Human Dignity: Dignity, Cesare Ripa, 1645. This kind of ‘dignity’ refers to that person who does not give in (or buckle under) to riches and honours that the world has to provide. Often, oppression of the individual occurs because of wealth, power, honours, work. If their weight is too great, the suffering person does reach a breaking point, unable to carry the treasure box. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE

Life: Joy by flute. Sometimes it is the simple things in life that make us happy. SHARE

Christmas: Nativity, Brain Kershinik. Jesus is born and everybody wants to see. Angels of all sizes are crowding to see the scene and then moving on to go and tell the sheperds and spread the news. Joseph's hand is on his forehead representing his feeling of overwhelming by Jesus' birth as the son of God. Joseph is also holding Mary while Mary is seen holding his to comfort him. Midwives are also seen helping Mary. They are not mentioned in the Bible, but their presence is very probable. Jesus' coming had long been foretold as people really needed it. Yet, now that it happened, the angels are anxious and curious to see how their God has become a little human to be fed, changed etc until he grows. Words by Brain Kershinik. SHARE

Christmas: ChurchAds.net. The aim of this poster is to re-set the nativity in modern professions and high street fashions. Shepherds become cycle couriers and plasterers. Wise men are successful entrepreneurs and their gifts are iconic "treasures" of modern culture: a Swarovski crystal perfume bottle, a Faberge egg and a highly decorated skull. All are sharply dressed. But the traditional nativity arrangement is unchanged, with Jesus as its clear focus. Words by ChurchAds.Net, an ecumenical network made up of volunteers operating with a council of reference which includes a bishop and leaders from across the church denominations. SHARE

Family: Madame Vigee Lebrun and her daughter Jeanne Lucie Louise, 1789. SHARE

Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ, Kristy Nguyen, pencil art sketch, 2013. Kristy loves pencil art drawing and loves Jesus. She combines her two passions in her works and shares them on-line through her blog idrawjesus.blogspot.co.uk SHARE

Migration: Internal World of Learning, Lida Sherafatmand SHARE

Human Dignity: Portrait of Sebastian de Morra, Diego Velázquez, 1645, Prado Museum, Madrid. This painting is a full-length portrait of a dwarf attendant in the court of Philip IV of Spain. An attendant, however, for the pleasure of the king. The person here, is being used as a means, despite being dressed in rich clothing. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE

Life: Life is about creating oneself. Joey. B. Tino. SHARE

Family: The Holy Family Night, Rembrandt SHARE

Christmas: The Rest on the flight to Egypt, Orazio Gentileshi, Birmingham Museum, Flickr. Hearing of the birth of Jesus, and afraid that his own throne was under threat, King Herod ordered the massacre of all baby boys under the age of two in the district of Bethlehem. Joseph was warned of the danger in a dream, and he and Mary fled with the baby Jesus to Egypt. Gentileschi’s painting shows the Holy Family as weary refugees, emphasising their humanity and vulnerability at this moment in their story. SHARE

Lent: Image taken from the film, The Passion of The Christ, 2004. SHARE

Bioethics: Ethicist Paul Ramsey came up with the concept "the patient as a person". SHARE

Jesus Christ: "Rex Mundi"(King of the world), Francelle Pace Agius, 2016. Controversial to the name given to the painting "Rex Mundi", Jesus is portrayed in jail. Abandoned by everyone, silent and alone he is comforted by the angel on his side while the full chalice symbolises the pain and blood that still had to be shed for the salvation of mankind. SHARE

Peace: Peace cannot be bought or sold: it is a gift from God – and we must ask for it. “The last step of consolation”, the Pontiff said, “is peace”. The Christian, even in the most painful trials, never loses “the peace and the presence of Jesus” and with “a little courage”, we are able to say to the Lord: “Lord, give me this grace that is the sign of our encounter with you: spiritual consolation”; and, above all, he emphasized, “never lose peace”. We look to the Lord, who “suffered so upon the Cross, but he never lost his peace. Peace, this peace, is not our own: it is not sold and we do not buy it”. It is a gift of God for which we must beg. Words by L'Osservatore Romano. SHARE

Children: Gift, Girl at birth. The hunger, the nakedness, the helplessness, the weakness, the fear, the uncomfort. The life, the potential, the dignity, the towel, the drapes, the bracelet, the love, the safety. She has nothing. She has everything. SHARE

Easter: The Holy Women at the Tomb. William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1890. Easter innovates! The Easter event throws us forward into a world too new for us, where we must relearn everything, … like children or the old …overcome by newness. Words by Jean-Luc Marion. SHARE

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Christmas: Christmas prayer, wish. SHARE

Social Justice: "We are a Fairtrade Church". This poster is hung on the noticeboard of St. Luke's Parish Church in Pinner, London. In can also be seen in other Churches in Great Britian. SHARE

Fathers of The Church: St. Romanos the Melodist, was a deacon and father of the Church. He fell a bit asleep during the Christmas eve vigil. When he woke up he felt he had recieved the gift to compose music by feeling a sweetness in his mouth. He had dreamt that he saw the virgin Mary giving him a scroll of paper and telling him to eat it. Words by Fr George Papavarnavas. SHARE

Christmas: The Nativity, John Singleton Copley SHARE

Trinity: Trinity, Sue Newham. A circle has no beginning and no end. This circle is a glimpse into the Trinity, where the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one and yet recognisable separately. The symbols of the cross and the dove are commonly used to represent Christ and the Holy Spirit, but interestingly there is no widely used symbol to represent God the Father. I have used the creator's hand. In the centre the three distinct colours become white, in the same way that a spinning top with distinct colours becomes white or light grey on spinning. Words by Sue Newham. SHARE

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Human Dignity: Depth of Reality, Felix Nussbaum. A chilling representation of the grief and helplessness that befall a person whose dignity has been totally neglected, and whose identity completely disrespected. It refers to World War II and the holocaust, the plight of the “prisoners” of the death camp, the violation of basic human rights and freedoms. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE

Children: You are not helping, Brian Kershinik SHARE

Migration: 2-year-old Agim Shala being passed through a barbed wire fence into the hands of his grandparents at a camp in Albania after fleeing Kosovo. Carol Guzy. 3rd March 1999. SHARE

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Human Dignity: The Propostition, Judith Leyster, 1631. This painting is a very subtle representation of human dignity. It shows a woman, who is intently focused on her work, being approached by a man, who offers her some coins. It is not clear what ‘the proposition’ is for, but one can easily come to the conclusion that the man is trying to buy the woman out of her work, for his own entertainment and pleasure. Selfishness, in a way, can be seen as an act which disrespects the values of others. In this painting, the proposition seems to suggest that hard, laborious work could easily be replaced by simpler means, possibly paying up as well if not more. In the process, however, it fails that something else is at stake – the person’s dignity. Words by Gulia Privitelli. SHARE