Catholic Fiction discussion
Catholic Fiction? What do you think it is?
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1. Catholic Fiction translates high things (truths) into an accessible literary form (story).2. An interesting story that a flesh and blood--and fallible--reader can identify with.
3. Beneath any action, no matter how evil, Catholic Fiction always holds a basic, sacramental view of human life.
Hi! I'm Nicolás, new to the group. Since there's no thread in which to introduce myself I do it here briefly.Anyway, Catholic fiction, this is for me a new start in the book world. I'm a come-back-home Catholic so I've never read Catholic fiction. I will, now, be checking the group's bookshelves. Thank you in advance.
Cheers from Argentina.
Nicolás wrote: "Hi! I'm Nicolás, new to the group. Since there's no thread in which to introduce myself I do it here briefly.Anyway, Catholic fiction, this is for me a new start in the book world. I'm a come-bac..."
Bienvenidos a casa, Nicolás!
I am pleased to hear that you have returned home. I hope you can find books that will bring joy and pleasure to you, and feed your faith at the same time.
E.M. wrote: "The thinking goes that millions of people can draw (they are painters) but to be an artist means there is a scream inside wanting to get out."I love that. I also like the idea of the artist as truth-teller, revealing what is hidden, ignored or taken for granted. In the case of Catholic fiction, that would be a "sacramental view of human life," as Kaye put it.
Catholic fiction is a natural part of a Catholic world view. It is true things made into an art form -- things the writer takes for granted and, rather than going into a lot of explanations and justifications, just puts forward for the reader to absorb. And it can be in almost any genre. It's a matter of retaking the literary world for Christ, bit by bit. All in a day's work --
Catholic fiction is fiction that shows the beauty of Truth.
Since I've been trying to grapple with this same concept in my home school - I've tried explaining it to the kids that Catholic fiction reveals the grace (life) of God in your soul. Hard to pin down - but then again - so is God. Great discussion.
I think, with C.S.Lewis, that Catholic Fiction (he was speaking of Christian Fiction, but his ideas can be easily translated) does not mean that "explicitly or exclusively Christian conceptions must be put before us... The public has a mistrust for moral books which is not wholly mistaken. Morality has spoiled literature often enough." (The novels of Charles Williams, 1949).Nobody can doubt that Tolkien's Lord of the rings is Catholic fiction. However, not one Catholic (or Christian) basic idea is evident in the novel, except in a extremely subtle way.
It seems to me that what truly defines catholic fiction is that you have this fictional story, (genre doesn’t matter), and infused within it are varying amounts of truths. Whether more obvious, or more subtle, as in ”The Lord of the Rings”’s case, catholic fiction has a core made of divine truth, which works it’s way into the story from the inside-out.
I just read the most moving poem by Seamus Heaney: http://www.fsgworkinprogress.com/2015...If this doesn't capture the essence of what Catholic fiction is, then I don't know what would.
I hope others are as moved by this poem as I have been.
I read that poem yesterday, on their website. I thought the same thing, Maureen. Like characters portrayed in Catholic fiction, our own view of God is reflected in our inter-actions with others, either positively or negatively.
I have stated it here:http://tuscanypress.com/what-is-catho...
Tell us - What do you think it is? Name 3 characteristics.