The title of this post is the same as the title of emails I’ve received from time to time encouraging me to come see a new independent movie that speaks to the values of pro-lifers.

In a post last month I criticized the artistic merit of the latest of such films, the Erwin Brothers’ October Baby. Steven Greydanus, film critic for the National Catholic Register, found more artistic merit in the film than I did, but was still fairly critical of it. In the comments to his critique, Steven addressed the concerns of one writer who found the film very moving. “Maybe my standards for watching a movie are low,” said this writer, “but I’m not necessarily looking for the best cinematic and scripted movie, but a movie with a story that moves and inspires me.” In reply Steven wrote:

I understand that many people aren’t necessarily looking for the best cinematic or scripted movie, and that’s okay, to a point. At the same time, if you look at Church teaching on film, the Church considers it important to seek out and recognize films for their technical excellence (see Inter Mirifica) and cultural achievement (see Communio et Progressio).

I agree with Steven that all art made by Christians, not just film, has to aim higher than simply pleasing those who already share our views. It has to manifest technical excellence and achieve a high level of cultural attainment.

I bring all this up again in order to underscore the chief concern of this blog: the artistic renewal of the arts among Christians, especially Catholics. Much more attention to craft is necessary if we are ever going to see such a renewal (see my post, “Can This Be the Catholic Moment in the Arts?”). Attention also could be paid to new initiatives in the arts, such as the ones I made in my recent post on Catholic radio (“Catholic Radio: A Plea”).

But as CE editor Harold Fickett pointed out in a comment to my recent and related post on independent book publishing (“Book Publishing 9 and 3/4”), financial support is also needed in order for Catholic artists to successfully pursue their craft.

A woman named Teresa thoughtfully replied to Harold’s comment, urging those who desire to see a renaissance in the Catholic arts to begin, on this Good Friday, to pray for the following intention: that angel investors and benefactors come forward to support Catholic artists and their ideas and initiatives, so that a new springtime in the arts will be realized.

I’m going to take up that suggestion by beginning today a Rosary Novena for the Catholic arts, linking it to the Divine Mercy Novena.

Will you join me?

Congratulations to the EWTN Radio Network on its 20th anniversary!

Like many, I enjoy syndicated programs from EWTN and other Catholic radio stations such as Ave Maria Radio–especially when I’m out running errands. These stations do an excellent job of providing quality programming related to catechetics, apologetics, family life, spirituality, and politics. Congratulations to all in this industry on a work well done.

Yet I would like to register a plea.

A plea addressed not only to EWTN, but to all involved in the Catholic radio industry.

It is essential, of course, for those responsible for Catholic radio programming to focus on the kinds of programs I mentioned above. But I also find myself wishing for some greater variety. Why can’t there be some entertainment programming on Catholic radio?

Take a look at the website for BBC Radio 4. Go to the menu of program categories and click on “Arts,” “Comedy,” “Drama,” “Music.” You’ll find shows featuring, among many other things, long and short-form radio drama, serialized book readings, short stories, sketch comedy, arts programs, music reviews, panel games, poetry readings. It’s a rich feast. Why can’t Catholic radio offer entertainment and cultural programming of this sort?

Because our mission is to evangelize culture–I suppose the main objection will be. And that’s absolutely appropriate. But isn’t there more than one way to a person’s mind and heart? God bless Al Kresta, for example, for so very clearly and ably walking his audience through the tyrannical escapades of the Obama administration’s HHS mandate. But wouldn’t it be great if Catholic radio also offered a program like the BBC’s Afternoon Play or 15 Minute Drama or Classic Serial? Is it not imaginable that many who won’t listen to a program on Church politics or spirituality might listen to a program of sketch comedy or a show like Book at Bedtime? Perhaps that experience would introduce them to a world they had never thought much about before.

Not that the point of such programming would be merely to attract those outside the Catholic fold. It would also be good for the sake of Catholic culture itself. A culture is most essentially its religious practices (or lack of them). But a culture is also the stories it tells, the music it sings, and the jokes it laughs at.

And I’m not just thinking about programs featuring stories of saints, or of religious music, or of other material that is explicitly catechetical or apologetic. Catholic entertainment programming would not have the values of the BBC, but that doesn’t mean that it would have to be exclusively hagiographic. Catholics in our culture have been great entertainers in the past. Why can’t they be again?

But the BBC is state-funded radio. Yes, it is. And programming budgets for Catholic radio stations I’m sure are already stretched. But if every good idea was neglected because the funds weren’t immediately available, where would innovation be?

And it is a good idea. And what’s more, no one else is doing it. No one. NPR has a minimal slate of cultural programming, but nothing much if anything in the area of original contributions to the arts. It would be pathbreaking for a U.S. radio station, Catholic or otherwise, to start offering dramatizations of serials, plays, short stories, and the like.

There isn’t an audience for it.

Pursue it with supreme artistry, and see if they don’t come.

Father Riccardo graduated from University of Michigan and spent some time working in the secular world before pursuing his vocation as a priest. He was ordained in the Archdiocese of Detroit in 1996. Father studied philosophy at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and theology at the Gregorian University in Rome. He received a Sacred License in Theology (STL) from The Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family. The radio program Father hosts, “Christ is the Answer” is a catechetical program and one of the most informative I listen to on Catholic radio. For more information on Father, visit www.AveMariaRadio.net where you can listen live to his show any weekday at 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (these shows are previously aired) or 8 p.m. on Wednesday evenings (new shows).

Most recently Father was a guest on Catholic radio’s pledge drive and spoke of the need for fasting and praying in the time leading up to this November’s presidential election. I asked Father if he would answer a few questions and he graciously agreed.

Father, you’ve mentioned fasting and praying, on Fridays, for the election. Could you give us a bit of direction on this and how we can join others in this cause?

Fr. Riccardo: The sense of a need to fast for this election came some months ago now when our readings at daily Mass dealt with the history of the people of Israel during the reign of the various kings, and in particular with the reality that the life of the king effected the people as a whole. This is a concept we don’t keep in mind much in the US. We tend to think a person’s private life is entirely their own. Now, there’s some truth to that, but the idea that the life of a leader has no impact on the life of the nation he or she leads is entirely in contrast to the revealed Word of God. It was during that time that I felt the Lord put on my heart a deep conviction to not only fast myself but to invite others to do the same for God’s mercy and blessing upon our land until and specifically for the men and women running for public office. Perhaps many of us forgot, or are unaware, of how often some of our Founding Fathers would call the nation to pray and fast during certain times.

As for the nuts and bolts of the fast, I myself just drink liquids on Fridays until dinner, and then break the fast at that time, trying to call to mind throughout the day the intention that I have. Some people, I know, can’t fast from foods for various reasons, but something else could easily be substituted in its place.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the Catholic Church today?

Fr. Riccardo: The Lord says in His Word, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” I think that might be how I would answer that question. It’s a question with many possible answers, but this comes to mind right now anyway. That lack of knowledge would be manifold: about God, about His personal love, about the basics of our faith, about what it means to be a Catholic, and so forth.

What do you suggest Catholics do to live their faith more fully?

Fr. Riccardo: This, too, is a topic that could fill a book, but certainly some basics come to mind. First of all would be to put in place a game plan for how to live this life well. We have strategies for almost everything we do with regards to various parts of life, but seldom do we take the time to come up with one for all of life. I think it works best by starting with the desired end: heaven and hearing the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” That end, sobering as this is, is not a given. It’s a gift, to be sure, and so not something that we can earn, but it must still be received by each of us.

Each of us needs to prayerfully determine how we should respond to the gift of life entrusted to us by God, and how to live in such a way so as to try to honor Him in all we do and build up the civilization of love here and now. Fundamentally, I think, it starts by making a commitment to pray, to “waste time with God,” as I put it. This isn’t to imply that prayer is a waste of time; not at all! It’s meant to convey that we need to be in the daily habit of wasting time in a positive way with Him, of listening to His voice in silence and in Scripture, of praising Him, thanking Him, saying we’re sorry, asking for help, asking for vision, and so much more.

Finally, could you give us a little insight into your thoughts about the upcoming election?

Fr. Riccardo: We obviously have many pressing issues and needs in our country at present, and each day only seems to raise even more concerns, with economic concerns currently dominating the headlines. I think I’m sobered, quite frankly, by how much hostility seems to be out there, on all “sides,” and how little humility there seems to be.

Author’s note: If you’ve not yet read a Catholic voter’s guide or would like to understand, more fully, what it means to be a Catholic voter, here are a few helpful links… http://www.ewtn.com/vote/brief_catechism.htm, http://www.catholic.com/, http://westcoastcatholic.blogspot.com/2008/08/archbishop-chaput-vote-for-real-change.html, and http://www.stlouisreview.com/abpcolumn.php?abpid=7051