Pope John Paul II's 'Letter to Artists'

A tribute to John Paul II's "Letter to Artists", as read by students at John Paul the Great Catholic University. This video was posted in April 2014, to commemorate his canonization to sainthood, and as a gift to Christian artists throughout the world. Many of the students reading are film, gaming, or acting students who have taken up the Pope's invitation to pursue the arts.

Featuring the music of Jimmy Mitchell from Love Good Music!
Song: "Hope by Hope"
Album: "Through it All"
(While you're there, download his talk "Beauty has saved the world")

On Easter Sunday, April 4, 1999, Pope John Paul II wrote an open letter to all artists -- both Christian and secular -- reminding them of their vocation to Beauty. He urged them not to waste their artistic talent but to develop it, and to put it at the service of humanity as an authentic vehicle of culture.

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John Paul the Great Catholic University is the Catholic university for Creative Arts and Business Innovation, located in San Diego county. We combine hands-on instruction in media and business with an enriching Catholic liberal arts education. Experience small class sizes, mentorship from industry professionals, and a community of creative Catholics who believe in the power of beauty to transform culture.

Explore our programs in Film, Animation, Business, Advertising, Acting, Illustration, Game Development, Creative Writing, Graphic Design, Screenwriting, Theology, and more.

[pavelbarsan]

I am a Roman-Catholic, and an actor. I usually play this video before my shows, because it is a true inspiration for me! Greetings from Romania! Thank You for this video! ❤

[danieldekok]

I did this with my life. I didn't get rich, and I'm in the autumn of my career, but I don't regret one moment.

[irenemacias]

Love you JP 2 for all you inspire us to do in the name of Jesus Christ 🙏💗💖💖💖

[avemariadelacruz]

This actually gives me a greater appreciation for artists, now realizing that they express in a special way the share that we have in God's divine genius and creativity and the fact that they dedicate themselves to this call. So beautiful.

[sunflowerslace]

This video is so so beautiful. And it's an incredible way to make the letter accessible to all people, reach out to artists, and show how relevant the Pope and faith are and always will be. What a gift, thank you!

[giovannacocciakovach]

What a wonderful video and wonderful letter! Words I know I needed to hear today!

[JPCatholic]

JPCatholic students have created a 3-minute inspirational video to commemorate the canonization of John Paul II with something that is near and dear to our hearts, his Letter to Artists.

[PeterJ-cbvk]

I truly love these young American artists. John Paul II is proud of you and loves you. You are needed and you have value to society.

[JulieMcElmurry]

Mamma, mia. I have tears running down my face after watching this.
I have been making short documentaries about women religious serving the poor. In the past few weeks, I' have been wondering if I am an artist. I woke up at home today after a fruitful trip of making connections that will hopefully lead to more projects and felt compelled to look up this letter. Heck, even better than reading it was having your awesome young people share it with me. Thank you. This is awesome. (You can click on my pic. to see some of my own work.)

[sheepmaysafelygraze]

I didn't know about this letter until I saw this! Truly inspiring, thank you!

[williamnewberry]

Artists with God's divine creativity are inspirational to all 💙

[michaelmccue]

Thank you for this awesome reading of an awesome letter!  
(I want to note a sole dissonant note. St. John Paul was great, did a lot of great things, was an amazing pope. However, the suffix "the Great" is not appropriate for him. If you look at the whole span of Church history, he was great in many ways in OUR TIME. But that title is really about how he fits in to the total course of the Christian journey. The use of this title for St. John Paul really reflects a lack of historical awareness in present American culture. It is a sort of "grade inflation" or like the experience of everyone getting a trophy. I am expressing my opinion on a specific point---and in no way wish to take anything away from his good works and great example.)  

Again, thank you for this great presentation. JMJ

[bagobeans]

You mentioned everyone but those artists who paint and draw. How sad. I believe Pope St. John Paul ll thought of us too. 😢

[Johnmccoyart]

This is real. I am an example of a Catholic artist today

[michaelmccue]

Awesome video. The letter communicates a positive and solid view of God and the world he has created. Great to use the concept of vocation talking about artists!  

(The one very unfortunate note, only one word---but it stands out because it comes as the literal last word---is calling this saint "the Great." He is a holy and great man, however, the title "the great" is not appropriate to his role in Church history over all. The use of this title really shows the present lack of historical awareness and perspective so much part of modern American culture. This attitude leads people to think "our pope" of "our time" of course would count among the greatest of the hundreds of men who have been bishop of Rome. A more sober assessment requires the ending "II.")

[ernesto]

Traducción en español

“Dios vio todo lo que Él había creado, y vio que era muy bueno.”

   -Génesis 1:32





Carta del Papa Juan Pablo II a los artistas 



A todos los que apasionadamente se dedican a la búsqueda de nuevas epifanias de belleza, para que, por medio de su trabajo creativo como artistas, puedan ofrecer estos dones al mundo. 





“Nadie puede intuir mas profundamente que ustedes artistas (ingeniosos creadores de belleza), algo del pathos del que Dios al alba de la creación vio en el trabajo hecho con Sus manos. 

Y un centelleo de ese sentimiento ha brillado tantas veces en los ojos de ustedes, cuando así como los artistas de cada época, cautivados por el poder escondido de los sonidos y de las palabras, de los colores y de las formas; llegan igualmente a admirar el trabajo de su propia inspiración, intuyendo así un eco del misterio de la creación, con el que Dios (el único creador de todas las cosas) ha querido asociarlos a ustedes.  



El Artista Divino les pasa a ustedes una chispa de Su propia incomparable sabiduría, llamándoles a compartir de Su poder creativo. 

Ustedes, artistas, tienen una relación especial con la belleza. La belleza, es la propia vocación que el Creador les otorga a ustedes por medio del don del talento artístico.

A ustedes, que perciben en ustedes mismos este tipo de chispa divina, la vocación artística, como: poeta, escritor, escultor, arquitecto, músico, director, actor… Sientan la obligación, no de desperdiciar este talento sino de desarrollarlo, de ponerlo al servicio de su prójimo y de la humanidad entera. 

Artistas, la sociedad los necesita. El mundo en el que vivimos necesita la belleza, para no hundirse en la desesperanza. La belleza, así como la verdad, trae júbilo al corazón humano. La belleza es una invitación a salvar nuestras vidas, y a soñar con el futuro. La belleza es una clave hacia el Misterio, y una llamada a la trascendencia. La belleza salvará al mundo. 



Con esta carta, me dirijo a ustedes artistas del mundo, del teatro y la música, de las artes plásticas, y de las más recientes tecnologías en al campo de la comunicación. Les recuerdo que son invitados a usar su creatividad intuitiva para entrar tanto en el corazón del misterio del Dios encarnado, como el misterio del hombre. Jesucristo no solo le revela Dios al hombre, sino que le revela al hombre a sí mismo. 

Dios al hacerse hombre introdujo en la historia humana toda la riqueza de la Verdad y de la Bondad. ¡La Belleza Misma ya ha salvado al mundo! 

Y todos los creyentes son llamados a ser testigos de ello, pero depende de ustedes declarar (hombres y mujeres que han dedicado sus vidas al arte) con toda la riqueza de su ingenio, que en Cristo: el mundo es redimido, la persona humana es redimida, el cuerpo humano es redimido, ¡la creación entera es redimida! 



En el umbral del tercer milenio, mi deseo para todos ustedes artistas, es que vayan a tener experiencias de inspiración creativa de una manera intensamente especial. 



Que la belleza que ustedes le pasen a las generaciones venideras, sea tal que les estimule al asombro, a la verdad, a la bondad, y a la Belleza. 



Con mis mejores deseos. “