Revamping Worksheet for Pope JPII's Letter to Artists:

(I don't know why, but, I feel compelled to put this on here right now. I hope to come back and make it easier to read, putting it on more than one page, but, for now, I must post this and get to my Adoration Hour..time of prayer.)

sigh.....ok......here I, Ritagail Burleson, go again.....God just won't quit hounding me......if you haven't read Francis Thompson's poem "The Hound of Heaven", you might want to sometime (at EWTN, I'm not EWTN material, I'm too honest and not pious enough for them, but, well, for them to have this poem on their website must mean they have SOME redeeming qualities!) Thank you EWTN. Ahem. The link: http://www.ewtn.com/library/HUMANITY/HNDHVN.HTM

(My current attitude stems from a dream that woke me up this morning, March 24, 2006. I am not prepared to openly share this dream, just thought I should give the reason for my flurry of frustrated activity.)

Due to the fact that God will not leave me alone about Religion and Art, even though I've failed miserably since I tried to express it nearly 15 years ago, I am going to try one more time to share something that will help anyone else struggling along the same lines. Here is my latest attempt. At the end of this latest outburts of mine, I'm leaving a link to my earlier attempt, I suppose it has "historical" value, but, it also shows that I've been disgusted/angry/bitter/disillusioned for way too long.

You too?

I'm not going to get into what is "good" or "bad" in the arts. I'm also not going to get into what is "Traditional", "Modern", "Progressive", or even "Good/Bad" in Religion/Faith/Church. This is about you and I and our PERSONAL journeys in being artists who are also believers in Jesus Christ, and who attempt to share within some kind of faith community. Even if you feel totally isolated, there is usually somebody else you either try to share with, or, for whatever reason simply end up sharing with.

(Note to non-Christians, you are also welcome. I'm writing within a Christian framework, specifically for me, within a Catholic convert one. I suspect there is frustration for non-Christians artists in their own faith communities, but I will not be so arrogant as to assume for you. If you find something of benefit here, again, you are welcome.)

Ok, once more, here are the 2 links to the Letter to Artists by Pope John Paul II:

At the Vatican:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_23041999_artists_en.html

At EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network):
http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2ARTIS.HTM

Journal Entries/Projects for help in processing the ideas in this letter in our own personal journies:

(the following are suggestions and do not necessarily need to be done in order)

***What is your initial reaction to this document (JPII's letter)? Do you like it, does it surprise you, does anything make you passionate....to the angry side.....to the joyful side?

***If you were going to write Pope JPII a letter back, what would you say? (this one might take a while to "simmer")

***What has been your experience in how Church/religion/spirituality go together? In some cases, it seems that spirituality and religion or church might be different, what is your experience with that?

In your inner most being, how do you feel about the disharmonies and harmonies between Art and Religion? (It's equally ok if you are in a situation where there is mostly harmony between the two of if there is moslty disharmony. It seems that some communities are more accepting and nurturing than others.)

***What are ways you can express the following in your medium/medias?

*Beauty

*Passion
(may or may not be sexual, passion is much more than sex, but, be careful not to negate out sexual selves....learned this from a wiser-than-I character) *Faith

*Community

*Art (remember, this includes many arts: writing, dancing, sculpting, music, painting, drawing, fiber arts, wood and metal arts, pottery.....probably even things like gardening and architecture and maybe even some maths and sciences)

*Artist (ditto above)

**Who from our Church's history inspires you? Who irritates you? Who spurs you on?

If you don't know enough about artistic/creative persons in the Church, why not? Is there a lack of this teaching/sharing? (Author's opinion: Of Course there is a lack! The problem is, how do we bring it back with integrity, without being overly preachy of the Faith side, and, without watering down Faith on the Art side!)

***In your own artistic medium/media, who would you "copy" or follow around, if you could?

What are some ways you could do that...do some....it's how they all used to learn by starting out copying.

***Is it possible to connect with other artistic/creative persons in your faith community? If not, are there other places in your wider community or online?

If you are isolated, how does that make you feel, are their any benefits to the isolation? If you are in community with other artists, what are the challenges and benefits?

***When was the first time you knew Art and Faith were inseperable? Or, have you ever thought about it?

***List some people who will:

*Help you nurture your Art.

*Help you nurture your Faith.

*Help you nurture both your Art and your Faith.

***WHERE do you feel most comfortable just "being"? Why? Do you go there often enough? Why not? What steps can you take to be there more often?

***Prayers:

*What are your favorites? Why?

*Can you do a project around any of them?

***Favorite Scriptures

*What are your favorites? Why?

*Can you do a project around any of them?

***Favorite Quotes from other Faith-filled persons

*What are your favorites? Why?

*Can you do a project around any of them?

***What are you own personal questions to God?

*Can you do a project around any of them?

***What are your own prayers to God?

*Can you do a project around any of them?

Drawing on Faith Home

"Old" Worksheet