Artistic Beauty Can Lead the Human Heart to God

Arts and Faith seriesIn a general audience in August, 2011, Pope Benedict spoke of the importance of art in the life of faith, saying that artistic beauty can lead the human heart to God. “Art is capable of making visible our need to go beyond what we see and it reveals our thirst for infinite beauty, for God,” said the Holy Father.

Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, we are all drawn to beauty. In fact, “Seeking Beauty” is Key 6 in my 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness. We can encounter and express beauty through painting, sculpture, music, drama, dance, and so on. To celebrate the arts, Loyola Press launches a new online series called Arts and Faith. It’s a celebration of the many creative ways people use art to express their faith.

Stories in the series include profiles of artists and—helpful for those of us catechists who aren’t as artistically inclined—articles about using art in catechesis. Using art can help those who are visual or auditory learners, so I hope you’ll visit the series for inspiration as we move into the downtime of summer. And share your own stories of how you use the arts in your catechetical sessions!

About Joe Paprocki 2742 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

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