The Catholic Writer Today

First Things ^ | December 2013 | Dana Gioia

[AncientAirs]

Stated simply, the paradox is that, although Roman Catholicism constitutes the largest religious and cultural group in the United States, Catholicism currently enjoys almost no positive presence in the American fine arts—not in literature, music, sculpture, or painting. This situation not only represents a demographic paradox. It also marks a major historical change—an impoverishment, indeed even a disfigurement—for Catholicism, which has for two millennia played a hugely formative and inspirational role in the arts. ... Roman Catholicism now ranks overwhelmingly as the largest religious denomination in the United States, with more than sixty-eight million members. ...

[sitetest]

Good post.

“The collapse of Catholic literary life reflects a larger crisis of confidence in the Church that touches on all aspects of religious, cultural, and intellectual life. What I have said so far also pertains, in general terms, to all American Christians. Whatever their denomination, they have increasingly disengaged themselves from artistic culture. They have, in effect, ceded the arts to secular society. Needless to say, for Catholicism, this cultural retreat—indeed, this virtual surrender—represents a radical departure from the Church’s traditional role as patron and mentor to the arts. In only fifty years, the patron has become the pariah.”

We, the Church, have ceded, along with any of our allies, ALL the institutions of our culture.

[Salvation]

Chant is coming back. Have hope.

[NKP_Vet]

When you have athiests and liberals that despise Christians control the media, what do you expect.

[Ransomed]

“There were also science-fiction and detective writers such as Anthony Boucher, Donald Westlake, August Delerth, and Walter Miller, Jr., whose A Canticle for Leibowitz remains a classic of both science fiction and Catholic literature.”

For Catholics who dig science fiction, here’s some other conservative Catholics who wrote or write that stuff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RA_Lafferty

One of the most unique writers of science fiction ever.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Wolfe

Gene Wolfe is a conservative, daily Mass attending Catholic who is widely regarded as the best living writer of speculative fiction. Even by some of the the stiffs who normally only like ‘literary’ miserable modern novels about miserable professors having boring affairs and then moaning about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C._Wright_(author)

Wright is a an ex-atheist libertarian who converted to Catholic Christianity after becoming well known for some very well written modern sci-fi. He is now reviled by liberal shrieking modern sci-fi fans for his ultra conservative and Catholic views which he disseminates on his blog. His blog is worth checking out for conservative Catholics and other sorts of Christians who dig both good social commentary as well as thoughts on science fiction.

http://www.scifiwright.com/

Freegards

[cloudmountain]

When you have athiests and liberals that despise Christians control the media, what do you expect.

Right! We WON'T soon be seeing a Bing Crosby in "GOING MY WAY," will we?

Hollyweird reflects the Hollyweird life style: promiscuity, pornography, indecent dress (only by the women, of course), nudity, filthy language--ANYTHING goes if it makes lots of money.

[Salvation]

Actually Rick Santorum just put out a short film, The Christmas Candle. I guess it’s a book too.

[cloudmountain]

Thank you for the HEADS-UP.

[Salvation]

The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado

[informavoracious]

We used to influence the wider culture. The wider culture now influences the Church.

[Tax-chick]

It’s amusing to see saints’ biographies for children written by August Derleth, whom I knew as the colleague of H.P. Lovecraft.

[Ransomed]

Yeah, I only knew him from Arkham House and the regular tentacle festooned blasphemies. I take it from his wiki page he wrote a lot more than just that.

FReegards

[Tax-chick]

It’s a funny old world out there.

R.A. Lafferty has been one of my favorite writers since I was in junior high. I sometimes reread his short stories, and they’re always as good as I remember.