In May 2021, Louisiana water-color painter Diane St. Germain won an Archdiocese of New Orleans sacred art contest. The winning painting is “The Eucharist: The True Presence of Jesus Christ.” Then Archbishop Gregory Aymond (who retired in February 2026) called the painting “theologically sound” and encouraged the artist to use the piece as a “tool of evangelization.”
In December of that year a bookmark featuring the painting was given to parishioners of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Hermosa Beach, California, for Christmas. St. Germain said she was so touched that her artwork was being gifted that she donated a signed copy of the painting to the parish. It now hangs nears the tabernacle of the Church.
Since this initial interaction, St. Germain has understood the power of technology to help spread her work and the Eucharistic devotion it inspires. Through correspondence with Aleteia, she shared how a simple internet search for “Eucharistic Artwork” has led various individuals and churches to discover her painting.
“The internet search engine has been an amazing technological tool to help me realize how people around the world can quickly find my painting and seek more information to glorify Him … not me … for His Love available to us through His Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist! And, as so many have commented, the entire Paschal Mystery is presented in this painting. Praise God!”
Since the initial requests, “there have been too many to document,” St. Germain said. When she receives a print request for an adoration chapel, the artist directly reaches out to the church secretary and arranges to send a free, limited-edition print to that parish. She is “thrilled to say that my parish of Our Lady of Lourdes in Slidell has one in our 24/7 Adoration Chapel."
“I am so grateful for God to use my gifts of artistic expression to give Him Glory and Praise!”
Catapulted coverage
One article on St. Germain's work appeared on Aleteia, by J-P Mauro, published April 22, 2023. That coverage notes, “Fine art can inspire our faith and even drive a spiritual movement.” Mauro mentioned that the Divine Mercy painting, an image inspired by the appearance of Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska in 1931, is likely the most famous case of this.
The article explained the significance of images and colors chosen by St. Germain and how she integrated multiple mysteries of the life of Christ: starting from the darkness at the bottom moving upwards through the birth of Christ, his gift of self in the Eucharist and on the cross, and culminating with the resurrected Jesus standing, with arms open, before the gates of heaven.
In January 2026, Pat Gauthier, communications director for Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Slidell, Louisiana, contacted Aleteia to share “some amazing news.” Gauthier noted that Aleteia’s article “catapulted” her friend’s painting, and greater devotion to the Eucharist wherever the artwork has been shared, as the painting has now spread internationally.
In late 2025, St. Germain announced via her website’s blog that the painting was now being used in religious education programs in England and Wales, had been selected for publication in a catechism in Canada, and was to be featured on Chinese Language Christmas Cards distributed by the Notre Dame de Vie Institute in Taiwan.
Within the U.S., the painting has been used at a men’s retreat in Arizona, Eucharistic processions in Wisconsin, and St. Germain's parish in Slidell, Louisiana. She has also guided students at the local Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Visio Divina in prayer with the painting.
St. Germain continues to offer prints and bookmarks of the painting, with special discounts for priests, deacons, religious and religious education personnel.
The most recent use of her painting was a joint effort with her husband Martin. He had been inspired by the painting to write words for a song to use with it. Diane explained, “We worked together to produce a video titled True Presence. The video uses my art and his original lyrics.”
The video features both visual, instrumental, and spoken elements; music and singers were generated by an app called SUNO for which the St. Germain’s hold the copyright.
Below are some lyrics:
I eat of this bread. I drink of this cup. Help me believe this is you.
Help my belief. Lord, increase my faith. Help me to know this is true…
You were a baby born in a stable. How can you be my Lord?...
You were a man nailed to a tree. How can you be my King?My child, my child. Why don’t you see me?
This is my body. This is the blood I spilled on that tree…
I am all that you need. Know it is truly me. Know you are mine…
I died on that cross. I rose from the dead. I open the heavens.Death is defeated for you…
Diane shared that they had “the privilege of presenting our collaborative creative project” to parents and children at their parish who were preparing to receive First Holy Communion this spring. “All eyes were glued to the screen as they viewed the 4-minute video!”
Attendees were given 5 x 7 cards with the image of the painting and led through the Visio Divina experience. She shared how participants made comments such as: ”I felt God’s love and peace” and ”I saw the Gates of Heaven and that is where I want to go!”
Responding to a question about how she has seen God working through both her artwork and technological tools, Diane affirmed, “There are so many great ways I see the Holy Spirit using this painting to promote love and devotion to Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
