Artist, convert remasters nativity figures

By Cristina Cabrera Jarro -

Photography: C.CABRERA JARRO and I.RENNELLA

CORAL GABLES | Around Christmas 2021, Kathleen Staples visited the life-sized outdoor Nativity scene displayed on the grounds in front of Comber Hall, next to Little Flower Church in Coral Gables. While impressive, Staples found it lacking.

“I had noticed the Nativity figures. They all looked very dingy, and I was personally offended. It got to me. It’s such a beautiful church. They take pride in it, in the space, the lawn, the grounds,” recalled Staples, a painter and retired art teacher at the University of Miami. “I said I can do something about that.”

She did not act on it immediately, but the thought remained. Although she was not raised Catholic, her travels around the world, especially in Europe, had nurtured an admiration for churches and the art within them.

Months earlier, she had begun reading a copy of C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity” which she had purchased long ago. It had been “sitting on my shelf. I would pick it up and put it down.”

She decided to really get into it, and “by the seventh chapter, I called Little Flower and asked, how do I become a member of the Church?”

She had explored and experimented with Buddhism, Hinduism, and other religions, but the beliefs no longer made sense to her.

“I sort of had to disqualify everything. And it really was like that because in the back of my mind I wanted to get serious. The funny thing is that once you become a member of the Church, and become a Catholic, you realize it’s not serious. It’s joyful,” she said.

Staples had lived in Coral Gables since 1999 along with her late artist husband and their son. “I taught art and drove past this church for many, many, many years without paying any attention to it. But I finally got here.”

During her faith journey, she attended a formation lecture on the history of the Church led by Father Manny Alvarez, Little Flower’s pastor. He discussed the saints, focusing for a time on St. John of the Cross. Staples became so fascinated by the saint that she approached Father Alvarez after the lecture, introduced herself, and asked for more information.

After some reading and investigating she concluded, “If Father Manny is into St. John of the Cross, he’s in. He’s plugging into that passionate, vivid living tradition of mysticism and a mysterious joy that’s very powerful. It’s living, spiritual, current, and real, just like Father Manny, Father Andrew [Tomonto, parochial vicar], and the [Carmelite] sisters [who staff the school].”

“I was honored to baptize her and welcome her into the Church last Easter,” said Father Alvarez. “And since then, she’s joined the choir, been part of other ministries.”

After a Sunday Mass in fall 2022, Staples surprised Father Alvarez with an early Christmas present. She offered to repaint the Nativity figures that had disillusioned her the year before, using the artistic talent she once took for granted but now recognizes as God-given.

“This is truly an example of the Holy Spirit at work in the life of a new Catholic,” said Father Alvarez.

He pointed Staples in the direction of Jorge Santibáñez, parish life coordinator and director of religious education at Little Flower. He helped arrange her weekly schedule and found a spot for a makeshift studio between the church and Comber Hall.

“Kathleen has been such a gift to our parish, and I wasn’t surprised that she would offer to take on a project like this. As we’ve gotten to know her and love her, she has just continued to surprise us with her talents and humble, giving spirit,” said Santibáñez.

At the end of October, beneath the shade of a massive avocado tree, Staples began remastering the images. Working on one resin-made image at a time, she repainted the statues of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, an angel, the three kings, shepherds and animals. The image of Mary alone took about a week.

“She said that Mary helped guide her as to how she was to be painted,” said Santibáñez, who recalled Staples having nearly completed the Virgin’s face one afternoon then returning the next morning to make some changes.

“Though I was confident she would do a good job with the project when we gave her the initial okay, I wasn’t prepared to be so blown away by her masterful artistry and her love and passion for the work,” said Santibáñez.

When the Florida Catholic caught up with Staples in late November, she was working on the angel, which now fashioned a long, scarlet-colored robe, fair skin, and light hair. She had worked on the wings, now a vibrant gold, at home because the outdoors had proved challenging at times.

“It’s hard to do today because it’s breezy, and I’m working with water-based paints, a coat paint, house paint for the garments, and a more artistic acrylic paint for the skin that dries as soon as you put it on the brush,” she explained.

Regardless, the angel’s face, as well as the other faces, appeared sculpted, a feat made possible only by hands knowledgeable about shadowing, contouring, and art.

On Nov. 28, 2022, the Nativity scene was unveiled and blessed by Little Flower’s priests before a group of parishioners. Staples was present and sang in the small choir assembled for the event. Afterward, she posed happily in front of the Nativity. But an artist’s work is never quite finished.

“She’s outside still working on a different statue as I speak. She’s a true example of faith even for her pastor,” said Father Alvarez.

“We’re not idolatrous, but they are symbols, and they express,” said Staples, “and it’s important how they look and what they say. So, is it possible to have them say something that’s brilliant, that’s radiant?”