The World Needs Your Story
Reflecting on St. John Paul II’s Letter to Artists, Part 2
Last week, I wrote about how inspiring St. John Paul II’s Letter to Artists is for me (and hopefully for you, too!). I focused on the amazing quality of art (and stories) to connect us to God.
This week, I want to talk about another aspect of the message in Letter to Artists: the responsibility of artists to use their talents for the good of the world.
The artist has a special relationship to beauty. In a very true sense it can be said that beauty is the vocation bestowed on him by the Creator in the gift of “artistic talent”. And, certainly, this too is a talent which ought to be made to bear fruit, in keeping with the sense of the Gospel parable of the talents (cf. Mt 25:14-30).
Here we touch on an essential point. Those who perceive in themselves this kind of divine spark which is the artistic vocation—as poet, writer, sculptor, architect, musician, actor and so on—feel at the same time the obligation not to waste this talent but to develop it, in order to put it at the service of their neighbour and of humanity as a whole.1
. . . .
Obedient to their inspiration in creating works both worthwhile and beautiful, they not only enrich the cultural heritage of each nation and of all humanity, but they also render an exceptional social service in favour of the common good.2
Art (including story of any genre) is beneficial for the common good. I needed to hear that when I first read this letter, and I still need to hear it every time I start to feel that my creative time is frivolous.
For those of us who doubt that our creative talents are worth the time and effort to develop, these words confirm for us that we are doing what we are meant to do when we create art and share it.
You are doing good and valuable work when you write your story!
However, the same words can also provoke anxiety that we aren’t using our talents well or often enough. I have felt this way. I have under-developed talent for drawing and singing that I’m not using. I have had to make peace with the fact that I can’t use all my talents all the time. There is only so much time in a day or week.
I’ve come to realize that as long as I use my abilities and skills as best I can in my current situation, that’s all that’s asked of me. It’s as if God planted seeds of possible creative pursuits in me and then let me choose which path to take. I chose writing, and it’s okay that my time spent writing means I don’t have time for other arts.
If you are in a season of life when it’s not reasonable to spend time on creative pursuits, that’s okay too. That season won’t last forever. Be on the lookout for small ways you can add your creative work back into your life when you can. Even 15 minutes here and there can allow you to create beautiful work that fulfills your artistic vocation.
The letter goes on to speak about the role religious art plays in the Church and the world, and the history of Christian art. But it doesn’t say that secular art is not important or valuable. The encouraging words of this letter apply to all forms of art.
In so far as it seeks the beautiful, fruit of an imagination which rises above the everyday, art is by its nature a kind of appeal to the mystery. Even when they explore the darkest depths of the soul or the most unsettling aspects of evil, artists give voice in a way to the universal desire for redemption.
We need stories that invoke mystery and wonder, that point to the spiritual beyond our sight. Stories that depict all aspects of human experience to help us navigate it. Stories that help us have hope in the darkness so we don’t despair. We need it all.
May the beauty which you pass on to generations still to come be such that it will stir them to wonder! Faced with the sacredness of life and of the human person, and before the marvels of the universe, wonder is the only appropriate attitude.
. . . . People of today and tomorrow need this enthusiasm if they are to meet and master the crucial challenges which stand before us. Thanks to this enthusiasm, humanity, every time it loses its way, will be able to lift itself up and set out again on the right path.3
The world needs your stories. Write and share them so they can enrich our lives.
At the same time, you don’t have to save the world with your stories. Don’t let a sense of purpose and responsibility paralyze you and stop you from writing lest you get it “wrong.” Let your stories be what they are, and they will be enough.
Which encouragement is more helpful for you right now? Share in the comments!
Thank you for reading! If you’re new here, I’m Katelin Cummins, a Catholic writer, book coach, gamer, and fantasy fan. If you would like to know more about what I write, check out this post. If you want help planning, writing, or revising your novel or nonfiction book, check out my services on my website.
Events
The Catholic Writers Conference Live is coming up!
April 29 - May 1, 2025 in Naperville, IL
I will be running a Meals with Mentors table about planning your next book and I am also coordinating pitch sessions. I hope to see you there!
Pope Saint John Paul II, Letter to Artists (April 4, 1999), 3.
Ibid., 4.
Ibid., 16.
I was glad to find this line "I’ve come to realize that as long as I use my abilities and skills as best I can in my current situation, that’s all that’s asked of me. " :) That's the money shot. I try to not talk to my scrupulosity, like a bad cold with imposter syndrome, and it's always pushing me to be best at everything... and I have to go full Himalayan monk and calm all... the... way... down. So this reminder, and your reflections, are perfectly timed!
This was a beautiful reflection, Katelin! Often I struggle with feelings that the fiction I write is "not important" compared to my nonfiction. This essay was a helpful reminder not to judge my creativity like that.