The opening reception kicked off Thursday, Jan. 23, with several students and faculty members showing up to view over 30 images narrowed down from McGrenra’s collection of over 15,000 photographs taken across continents through years of heartfelt exploration.

Among the diverse images collected in the exhibit are animal photos of a cow and a donkey, nature photos of trees in the snow, lakes and oceans and images of places like the One World Trade Center in New York City, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and local monuments in Loretto.

One of the images is a selfie McGrenra took next to a sign in Jacksonville, Florida, that reads “Loretto Road.”

Saint Francis freshman Anthony Smithmyer said he was impressed by the fact that McGrenra took every photograph with his iPhone.

Some of Brother Shamus McGrenra's favorite photographs on display at the Connors Family Fine Arts Center at Saint Francis University Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“I like the winter ones because I like the snow,” Smithmyer said, noting all of the photos are “really good.”

Addison Davis and Jenna Gardner, also freshmen at the university, said they attended the reception to fulfill community enrichment series requirements. The college requires freshmen to attend at least six events, like the exhibit’s reception, to get them involved in activities, said fine arts coordinator Barb Plazek.

“They’re gorgeous and there’s stories behind all of them that are really cool,” Davis said, adding she likes the images of nature because they make her smile.

The cow photo, the first in the exhibit, was taken during a bicycle trip for the Brother Shamus Charity Bike Ride, McGrenra said.

“We were on the trail and he kind of stuck his head out and never moved. I took about five pictures of him and at the end he said, ‘Thank you very much, brother,'” McGrenra said.

McGrenra said the donkey photo was taken while he was hiking the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain.

He was traveling through the outskirts of a tiny village when he spotted, out of the corner of his eye, a donkey sticking its head out over a fence.

“I said, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to get a picture of this,'” McGrenra said.

After leaving a hotel in Florida, McGrenra took a panoramic shot of the sunrise featuring two palm trees on either side of a chair.

“I just come up with this eye, and I just have to stop and take it,” McGrenra said.

McGrenra worked with Jessica Campbell, the center for fine arts director, to narrow down his images to a selection of only 32.

Campbell said one of her goals for the Connors Family Fine Arts Center, a new building on campus, was to create a gallery to showcase student art and local, regional artists.

She said McGrenra’s photos are a testament to his ability to uncover beauty, joy and divine inspiration in everyday scenes. They’re also reflective of his outgoing personality and traveling interests, she said.

“He just has that kind of personality that you kind of gravitate toward. He’s just always happy, upbeat and positive,” Campbell said. “I just think that makes him such a wonderful person.”

Plazek said she agrees with Campbell, noting McGrenra has “a heart of gold” and is “a phenomenal photographer.”

Bonnie Resinski, an adjunct faculty member for whom the center’s Resinski Black Box Theatre is named after, said she plans to bring her explorations in the fine arts class to the center to view McGrenra’s exhibit.

“Brother Shamus’ work follows the Franciscan path of celebrating nature. He’s developed quite the eye for it,” Resinski said, adding she and Campbell “chuckled at the cow” photo while viewing the exhibit.

“It’s so eye-catching and there’s such a great expression on it. It is really good,” Resinski said.

The gallery is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. McGrenra’s exhibition will be on display through Friday, March 7, 2025.