In the Catholic religion, community builds a sense of belonging to the Church and the people in the Church. Often times, Catholics grow up in the Church and base their values and beliefs based on the communities that they are raised in and influenced by. According to a class lecture produced by Heidi Campbell, community affirms identity through its practice (2019). This idea reflects that some individuals growing up in the Church find their identities through their communities, often times leading to a strengthening of their relationships with God. Campbell’s lecture also describes community as, “…distinguishing between those keeping the boundaries between the sacred and secular” (2019). Communities in the Catholic Church are the meeting point between the Church’s connection with God and those matters not connected with religious aspects. Community in the Catholic Church is something to consider when discussing how media is portrayed in the Church. Different communities portray media differently based on the upbringing of the Church. The way priests view and handle media reflects how the congregation is influenced by media through their beliefs. Community provides a sense of belonging to the members of the Church.
In the painting Adoration of the Magi by Leonardo da Vinci, there is an overlying message of a sense of community surrounding the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. Although the people surrounding the duo seem to be scared or dreary, they are coming together as a community to worship and honor the two. Although da Vinci never completed the piece, the people’s feelings are clearly presented.
At a souvenir shop in a local piazza in Florence, Italy, there were calendars with famous paintings. There was a calendar with the painting of La Primavera by Sandro Botticelli. There is some debate that this painting represents a community coming together to serve the Virgin Mary. Both pieces of art portray how community can be an important aspect of the Catholic Church.