Christmas Card contest

from The Sweet Harmony of the Benedictines of Mary (INSIDE)

by Karen Pulfer Focht - Photojournalist

New Ears and New Eyes during Advent and Christmas

Each year, Bishop David P. Talley and Bishop Emeritus J. Terry Steib individually send out Christmas cards. After the 2020 Christmas Cards were ordered, they decided “next year, we should send a joint card.” Where better to find the perfect Christmas Card than within the Art classes of the Catholic Schools across our Diocese of Memphis. Earlier this year, Margaret Scott and Kari Olesen, who manage the offices of Bishop Talley and Bishop Emeritus Steib, respectively, began a 2021 Bishops’ Christmas Card Art Contest across our Catholic Schools.

THE PROCESS

Each of the participating Schools in our Diocese held their own Christmas Art Contest. They were each allowed to send in five entries to be considered for the cover of the Christmas Card that the Bishops would send out for 2021. Students were asked to submit Nativity themed creations. All of the artwork that was submitted was beautiful and it was so hard to decide on the winning art. The Chancery staff participated by narrowing down the many selections to a “Top 11” (top 10 was just too hard!) for the Bishops to consider. In the end, the artwork of Kayleigh Villem, now a 12th grader at St. Benedict of Auburndale High School, was named the winner.

THE SURPRISE

This past Spring, just before school let out for the summer, Bishop Talley and Bishop Emeritus Steib joined Kayleigh’s family as well as Principal Morris, Fr. Dexter and a few people from the Chancery to surprise Kayleigh during her school day at SBA. Congratulations to Kayleigh!

Photos by Gragg Higginbotham