This is heartbreaking.
I received word today that the multi-talented artist Deacon Lawrence Klimecki of Sacramento has entered eternal life. I don’t know the details or circumstances, but this Go Fund Me announcement by his brother Deacon Keith Johnson is now circulating:
It was with a heavy heart that the news of the passing of Deacon Lawrence Klimecki was received. He was such a gracious person. It recently came to our attention that Deacon Lawrence and his wife AnNita have been in a difficult financial position for some time. His passing has left his wife near financial despair. In speaking to Deacon Anthony Pescetti, who considered Deacon Lawrence and AnNita family, their ongoing financial struggles have drained all financial reserves, they canceled their life insurance and were not able to preplan their funeral arrangements. Currently, AnNita has no income coming into the household. Fortunately, they do own a house but have no means to make the mortgage payment.
We are reaching out to ask for a contribution to a GoFundMe account to assist AnNita, to pay for funeral arrangements for Deacon Lawrence and AnNita at Calvary Cemetery. Also, we are hoping to provide AnNita with some support to cover living expenses for several months. The funeral arrangements are estimated to be $21,000 and her monthly living expenses including the payment of the mortgage are $5,000. We have set a GoFundMe goal of $50,000.The payment for the funeral is due by May 10th. If you can, please make your contribution as soon as possible.
]Visit the Go Fund Me page to contribute.
I corresponded with Deacon Lawrence a few times over the last several years, and asked him to sign some of his work, which I gave to deacons as ordinations gifts. He was always gracious and generous. This image is a particular favorite of mine:
See more of his work at his web page, Drawing on Faith.
His parish, Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sacramento, includes this biography:
Since his ordination in 2008 Deacon Lawrence has used his background in art and design to encourage people to use their gifts to build the Kingdom of God, speaking to the artist that lies buried deep within each one of us. Through stories that are more like modern day parables, he connects the ancient teachings of Christ with the realities of the modern world, encouraging his listeners to strive to make their entire lives a work of art dedicated to God.
“I am passionate about helping people understand the gifts that God has given to them are for them to use in His service, building up the Kingdom. This particularly applies to artists and those blessed with creativity, which is to say, all of us. I speak on those areas where art intersects faith.”
He established The Catholic Artist’s Guild to give an online presence to the many visual artists struggling to have their work seen by a larger audience and is a regular contributor to Smallpax, The Catholic Illustrator’s Guild. His work was featured in the first national tour sponsored by the Foundation for Sacred Art and his clients include Paulist Press, LTP (Liturgy Training Publications), and EWTN.
Past talks have included topics such as “Art and Ecumenism,” “The Icon, its History and Meaning,” “The Development of Christian Art,” and “Liturgical Art in the Modern World.”
Deacon Lawrence currently resides in the Diocese of Sacramento, serving God by serving His people. He is the Founder and Creative Director of Gryphon Rampant, a firm specializing in liturgical art, design, and illustration. He is married to his high school sweetheart, AnNita and they have one son.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
