I feel inspired. Truly inspired. Art has this way of turning my day into a 24-hour sunset by the bay.
I just came from an art festival in my university. All presentations were done by the students themselves. There were sound poems, live music, multimedia presentations, photographs, paintings, radio dramas, a monologue, comical skits, music videos, and a short film. Three of my photographs were included in the exhibition. The general theme was the power of art in communicating God’s message.
The host of the festival was a young Italian diocesan priest. He was introduced as “a priest by vocation, a singer by passion”. Many of my classmates presented their works of art. Giorgio and Alessandro performed a sound poem on the Lord’s Prayer – they repeated the “Padre Nostro” four times, each with different vocal emotions and background sounds. Pamela did a monologue about a girl who came out of the closet and how she had to cope with other people’s reaction to her homosexuality. Jose presented his colorful watercolor and pastel paintings made especially for children. Emanuela’s radio drama entitled “Gatto Nero” (an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Black Cat”) received the loudest applause from the audience.
The sound poems and the radio dramas provided me with a lot of ideas for my podcast. I genuinely enjoyed the evening and was immensely inspired by all of my schoolmates’ artworks. Faith is often more efficiently expressed through a watercolor painting or a melodious tune or a digital snapshot. There are not many homilies that can equal a painting of a person helping another person or a song about God’s unconditional love, or a photograph of a malnourished mother feeding her famished child. I think that the church, if it wants to communicate effectively God’s message, needs more artists (singers, painters, photographers, poets, etc) than mere preachers.
Gospel Acclamation of the Day: "Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom." (Mt 11:25)
Consider me your friend. How about posting your 3 photos here?
…i agree ! In this revolutionary time when almost all young ones & adults have amper or no time at all to go to churches or to read the bible , i think the best way to reach out to them & to spread God’s message effectively is to make use of all multi media technology available in this modern world: via arts presentation & specially in music.Almost everyone has access to them nowadays.The Church has to find ways of bringing God’s message into the modern world ,then maybe, the young ones & adults would find their way into the Church again.
Stephen, your descriptions are wonderful. I also agree with you–we need more than a droaning voice. I would include dance in your list.
guest, a-miga & merrill, thanks for being here. Yes, Merrill, I agree, I should have included dance in the list.
SUS DLI man nah FUNNY
I DO NOT AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!