Ordinary Splendor
As Catholic Christians, we have been called through our Baptism to evangelize the world. One of the best ways to encounter God, who is the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, is to experience the true, the good, and the beautiful found within our culture. God can be found in art, literature, music, film, science, drama, dance, and nature.
In fact, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI once wrote, “The only really effective apologia for Christianity comes down to two arguments, namely the saints the Church has produced and the art which has grown in her womb. Better witness is borne to the Lord by the splendor of holiness and art which have arisen in the community of believers than by…apologetics…”[1]
Last June, Barbara Nicolosi, a screenwriter from Los Angeles, gave a talk on the importance of the arts in the Church. This event was a trial balloon to see if this type of event would be of interest to our parishioners. Overwhelmingly, the feedback we received is yes, our parishioners would like more!
To this end, we will be launching a series of cultural events here at Prince of Peace, known as Ordinary Splendor, in the hopes of evangelizing ourselves and our neighbors through culture. Our hope is to have between 6-8 events during 2017. Ordinary Splendor will help us draw closer to the Lord through encountering his radiance and benevolence in various artistic mediums.
We are very excited to announce that our first event will be on Friday, 3 February, at 7.30p, when Ordinary Splendor presents The treble choristers of the Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys of Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, New York City, as they tour the Southeast. The Saint Thomas Choir School house, nurtures, and educates the boy choristers of the world-renowned choir of Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue. Through rigorous musical training and highly individualized classroom instruction in a familial, Christian environment, the school instills in its students the intellectual skills and ethical values that will enable them to embrace life with confidence, responsibility, and joy. A reception will be held after the concert. You do not want to miss this exciting event!
Tickets are $20 and are on sale now. For tickets, please contact Alan Reed at alan.reed@princeofpeacetaylors.org or 864-331-3904.
If you would like to volunteer to help with this event or any of the Ordinary Splendor events in the future, please contact me at angela.calabro@princeofpeacetaylors.org or 864-331-3903.
Angela Calabro
Director of Catechesis and Evangelization
[1] Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), The Ratzinger Report, p. 129.
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