Artist & Carmelite Friar
Fr. Emanuel “Manu” Franco-Gómez, O.Carm.
Fr. Emanuel “Manu” Franco-Gómez, O.Carm. was commissioned to create the 2024 OCDS Congress logo, which perfectly captures St. Teresa’s zeal and exuberance in the Lord.
Note the Holy Spirit incorporated into her halo, “speaking” to Holy Mother. The 2024 OCDS Congress theme is: The Joy of Carmel!
Holy Mother wanted her nuns and friars to be joyful; in fact, she called for two periods of recreation every day — a healthy balance to the intense hours of prayer and work.
“La Madre” herself even brought out the castanets and tambourine, dancing and singing during monastery recreations. Teresa had no patience with gloomy personalities!
“From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, good Lord deliver us!”
Fr. Emanuel “Manu” Franco-Gómez, O.Carm.
Photo courtesy of @TucsonCatholicU
Originally from Jalisco, Mexico, Fr. Emmanuel (“Manu”) Gomez was ordained to the priesthood in May of 2018 and holds degrees in philosophy and theology, as well as a Master of Fine Arts in illustration.
He is an accomplished artist, composer and writer and was chosen by the USCCB to illustrate the first official Spanish-language missal for the Catholic Church in the United States (2018).
He has served as Chaplain at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, AZ and has been involved with parish ministry at St. Cyril of Alexandria in Tucson. In January 2023, he was appointed by Bishop Weisenburger to serve as the Director of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Tucson.
He is a member of the Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary.
Explore more of his artwork on Facebook, Instagram and his Website / Art and Spirituality: Stitched Together by the Holy Spirit New Outlook: Diocese of Tucson Online News