The creative impulse is a deeply rooted aspect of the human person because we are made imago Dei and God is the Creator. This desire to share in the creative action of God is evidenced by thousands of years in which art, architecture, and the written word have been shaped in endless ways. We are …
Abandoning Utilitarianism to Embrace Transcendent Beauty
We live in an age marked by utilitarianism. If an item, building, or artwork does not serve some use it is easily discarded. It is also an age of secular humanism in which the person is the center of the cosmos, not God. These two philosophical undercurrents have impacted us as Catholics whether we like …
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Strange Beauty in Art and Life: The Agony in the Garden
Today I am waiting for my dad to undergo some medical tests to see why he is so sick and whether or not it is life-threatening. Ever since I got word last week that my dad's chronic illness was not the cause of his weakness and he is bleeding internally, I have been thinking and contemplating the …
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Monday is for Beauty: The Phantom of the Opera
It's Monday, so time for beauty. Over the weekend I took a break from my studies to watch the 2004 movie version of The Phantom of the Opera. It re-kindle my love of the musical. It is actually my all time favorite musical. When I was a kid I listened to it and sang it …
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Television: Art vs the Obscene and the Catholic Answer, Part I
I have found that one of the things we Catholics do not like to think about is what we watch on television or read in novels. In fact, when I have discussed this with friends and shared my own struggles, I usually encounter a great deal of push back. We don't like to be reminded …
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In Which I Respond to an Amusing Critique of My Blog
Yesterday I chanced upon a random, short, and sarcastic review of the look and content of my blog on Reddit. I don't even know the purpose of Reddit, by the way. It made me chuckle. I wasn't angry, I thought it was funny. I found it amusing because it is so typical of us human …
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Friday is for Beauty: Stained Glass
It is Friday and a good day for marveling at and contemplating beauty. Today's theme is stained glass. There are so many beautiful options, so I will revisit this theme many times. These were gleaned from a Google search and are not mine. I hope they bless you as you prepare for the weekend. God …
Today’s Beauty Theme Cathedrals and Churches
I hope all of you have a very blessed Holy Week. I will actually write a post tomorrow on how the Sacred Triduum kept me Catholic and brought me back to the Church after a few years of wandering. I have a final exam tonight, so for today, I will keep up my beauty theme. …
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Cinderella: Christ and the Church in Art
I can't say that this post will be a review per say. It will be my musing on my experience of the movie and the Christian dimensions of the original fairy tale. Of course, I know the story. Almost every little girl, at least in the U.S., was introduced to Disney's version of Cinderella at …
Music, Beauty, and Childhood Dreams
Like me, do any of you have TOO many interests? Â I have a hard time keeping them in check sometimes. Â I want to read, write, play music, sing, act (this is a new one for me), paint, etc. Â I am a lover of the arts, but it tends to get pushed back to an oven …
Swimming the Depths 