Italian researchers claim to have stumbled on the holy grail of the art world - a previously unknown work by Leonardo da Vinci, squirrelled away for centuries in a private collection. Read more

St Michael's Catholic School received $2000 in funding in February and has recently completed its project. Continue reading [You need to scroll down]

Now 78, Waimate-born Oamaru nun Sr Mary Horn is one of 16 sisters of the order around the globe who have been selected to produce artwork for the finale of events celebrating the order receiving Papal approval. Continue reading

Administrators at Rutgers University in New Jersey removed the artwork titled "Vitruvian Man".

It showed darts piercing the Christ figure's hands, side and feet, the Daily Mail reported.

Rutgers student Natalie Caruso appears to have been the first to have publicly complained about "Vitruvian Man", posting pictures of the artwork to a Rutgers Facebook group.

"This is currently displayed in the Art Library on College Ave. It is surprising that a state university would allow this," Caruso wrote.

"I asked them to take it down because I found it disrespectful and they refused. How is this acceptable!?' she added.

The reactions to her posting were swift and numerous, with Rutgers students giving many different points of view.

Some backed Caruso's opinion, saying religious students shouldn't have to be subjected to seeing what they believe is an offensive image.

Others said they were religious, but thought the piece of art should remain hanging in the library on the basis of free speech and the separation of Church and state.

Still more said the artwork appears to have done its job by causing a fevered debate on the topic.

But school administrators decided to take the artwork down and put it in a glass case with other pieces of art the same day that Caruso complained.

And just hours later, they removed it from the library altogether.

University spokesman Jessica Pellien explained in a statement that the decision to remove "Vitruvian Man" was based on the fact that "it did not meet Rutgers University Libraries policy, which requires art exhibitions and their pieces to be based on university events, curricular offerings and topics of interest to the university community".

Sources

• Daily Mail
• Image: Daily Mail

Artist Abel Azcona stole the hosts by pretending to receive Communion at Mass.

A private citizen removed the hosts from the artwork in an exhibition.

But photos of the artwork are still being displayed in a gallery.

The Christian Lawyers association in Spain has filed a lawsuit against Azcona and has told the Pamplona city council it would face legal action if the photos were not removed from city property by Thursday.

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The artwork titled "Eggs Benedict" was created by Niki Johnson to spark a discussion about sexual health.

She said it was inspired by comments made by Benedict during a 2009 visit to Africa in which he suggested that the use of condoms could exacerbate the spread of AIDS.

But Ms Johnson denied she intended to offend Catholics with the artwork.

Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki blasted the decision by the museum to display the piece as insulting and callous.

In a blog he questioned whether the museum would accept art depicting Mahatma Gandhi sporting an uzi, Abraham Lincoln in Klu Klux Klan garb or Adolf Hitler with a yarmulke reading the Torah, all in the name of art.

The museum acknowledged it has fielded about 200 complaints.

The museum acquired the portrait from local philanthropist and gay rights advocate Joseph Pabst, who bought it for about US$25,000 and donated it to the institution.

It will go on display when renovations at the museum are complete.

Museum board of trustees president Don Layden said: "This was never intended to be derisive, mocking or disrespectful of the pope."

"It was to have a conversation about AIDS and AIDS education. And my hope is when the piece appears in the museum that will be the focus of the discussion."

Jerry Topczewski, chief of staff for Archbishop Listecki, called that explanation "a smoke screen".

"What's at play here is either an intentional attack on a faith tradition and its teachings or a publicity stunt for the artist," he said.

"And we would be opposed to any faith tradition or religious leader being attacked in such a way."

Sources

• Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel
• Daily Caller
• Image: The Guardian

Transport for London decided the work by Antony Micallef could not appear alongside other contemporary interpretations of the Passion of Christ during Lent.

Micallef said the decision is censorship.

He could not understand why an Anglican Church in Marylebone had let the work be displayed, but the transport authority ruled it out.

Micallef and other artists were commissioned by the public art organisation Art Below of the Stations of the Cross project to coincide with Lent.

The works are on display in St Marylebone church in London, and posters are at tube stations that have a symbolic link with the theme, such as King's Cross, Angel and St Paul's.

There are works by 20 artists in the show and organisers had not been expecting all the pieces to go on tube posters.

Six were declined by Transport for London.

Micallef's black-and-white painting plays with the idea of how Jesus would be judged in 2014, and shows him before a smiling panel of four judges.

Instead of Pop Idol on the desk, it says "Kill Your Idol".

Micallef offered to smudge out this phrase if that was the issue.

The artist depicted Jesus as stripped and crowned with thorns.

A spokesperson for the transport authority said the poster was rejected because it did not comply with its advertising policy.

She pointed to a clause that covers concerns causing "widespread or serious offence to members of the public" and another referring to advertisements that do not comply with the law or incite someone to break the law.

But Micallef pointed out there were posters all over the tube network for the film "Calvary" with the words: "Killing a priest on a Sunday. That'll be a good one."

Blogging for The Tablet, Abigail Frymann wrote that Transport for London misunderstood what offends Christians.

Sources

• The Guardian
• The Tablet
• Image: Art Below