How Beauty Builds Character, Home, and Community
What if the crisis of beauty in our culture is actually a crisis of encountering God himself? Jim and Meghan sit down with Kate Capato to explore why authentic beauty is not decoration but essential to who we are called to be. Kate shares her journey from childhood wonder at snowflakes to creating oil paintings that invite prayer, healing, and encounter with Christ. With honesty and conviction, she speaks about the transformative power of beauty, the process of creating art through prayer, and why every Catholic home and church needs to reclaim the sacred.
What’s in this episode:
Why beauty is essential for building up our characters, homes, and communities
How childhood encounters with nature planted seeds for a life of sacred art
The journey from fashion design to training in Florence as a sacred artist
Kate's painting of Our Lady embracing Eve and the healing encounter that inspired it
The spiritual wrestling that happens while painting biblical moments
Simple ways families can bring beauty into their homes and deepen their faith
Why sacred art in the home invites the saints in and protects against spiritual danger
The soulless nature of AI art and why authentic beauty requires prayer
How to commission sacred art for your home or parish
One resource every Catholic family should know: Bishop Barron's Bibles with sacred art, "A is for Angel" for children, and Dietrich von Hildebrand's books on aesthetics
Book she is currently reading: Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre
Advice to her younger self: Keep looking at Christ and stop focusing on the waves around you
Final wisdom for listeners: Don't be afraid to bring beauty into your spaces and answer the Holy Spirit's call to invest in beauty
Resources Mentioned:
Visual Grace – Kate's website with calendar, shop, and inquiry form for commissions and events
Bishop Barron's Bibles – Sacred art, poetry, and quotes from theologians throughout Scripture
A is for Angel – Sacred art book for young children learning letters
Aesthetics by Dietrich von Hildebrand– Two-volume deep study on the essence and importance of beauty
Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre – Understanding Scripture through Jewish typology
He and I – Diary of a French Catholic actress with encounters with Jesus