The Church and the Sacred Arts – Music
“music is not something added on as ‘extra.’ The music and hymns we sing in the Mass are all part of a holistic celebration.” When it comes to the Liturgy, what does the Church actually tell us about the role of music, and what guidelines does the ChurchContinue Reading
Liturgical Art and Liturgical Man
When we talk about art that is appropriate to the liturgy, that is the visual arts of murals, frescos, icons, etc., we refer to the art that serves the liturgy. It may be the paintings and stained glass that help us direct our hearts and minds to the contemplation ofContinue Reading
Artists and the Church – Benedict XVI
“Artists need the Church as much as the Church needs artists because it is in the Church that the Artists finds True Beauty and the meaning of their lives.” In November of 2009, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI addressed a gathering of artists from all over the world. In manyContinue Reading
The Artists and the Church – John Paul II
“To all who are passionately dedicated to the search for new “epiphanies” of beauty so that through their creative work as artists they may offer these as gifts to the world.” Pope Saint John Paul II perhaps understood the sensibility of artists better than most pontiffs. He was, after all,Continue Reading
The Artists and the Church – Paul VI
“The Church needs artists because the world needs artists to show it Beauty and to bring hope and joy into the world.” At the close of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pope Paul VI addressed the artists of the world. “We now address you, artists, who are taken up withContinue Reading
The Artist and the Church – Pius XII
“The work of the artist assumes the role of a sacramental…helping us to attain the disposition necessary to receive God’s grace and allow grace to guide us in our work and our lives.” In 1952 Pope Pius XII addressed a group of Italian artists on the occasion of the sixthContinue Reading
The Church and Design Competitions
“All too often design competitions are created from the point of view of the sponsors without any regard to the work they are requiring of the artist.” The recent World Meeting of Families(WMOF) sparked considerable controversy over the design of the vestments that were worn by the clergy celebrating MassContinue Reading
The Artist and the Church – Trent
“While the Council of Nicaea affirmed the validity of the use of sacred images, the Council of Trent defined the role of art in service to the Church.” As we recounted previously, the Council of Nicaea refuted the ideas of the iconoclasts, and affirmed the validity of the use ofContinue Reading
Wisdom, Folly, and Isaac Asimov
The line between wisdom and foolishness is very thin. Indeed one man’s wisdom is very often another man’s folly. Isaac Asimov is popularly remembered as one of the great writers of science fiction. But he was much more than that. He was a professor of biochemistry, and held a doctorateContinue Reading