CATHOLIC UNDERGROUND IS A CULTURAL APOSTOLATE OF THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS OF THE RENEWAL. IT IS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO A CALL THAT BEGAN WITH POPE JOHN PAUL II, AND IS CONTINUED BY POPE BENEDICT XVI. JPII SAID THAT BECAUSE THE GOSPEL LIVES IN CONVERSATION WITH CULTURE, WE MUST BE FEARLESS IN CROSSING THE CULTURAL THRESHOLD OF THE COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION REVOLUTION NOW TAKING PLACE.

CATHOLIC UNDERGROUND IS A CULTURAL APOSTOLATE OF THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS

OF THE RENEWAL. IT IS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO A CALL THAT BEGAN WITH POPE

JOHN PAUL II, AND IS CONTINUED BY POPE BENEDICT XVI. JPII SAID THAT BECAUSE

THE GOSPEL LIVES IN CONVERSATION WITH CULTURE, WE MUST BE FEARLESS IN

CROSSING THE CULTURAL THRESHOLD OF THE COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

REVOLUTION NOW TAKING PLACE.

SO CAL CATHOLIC UNDERGROUND

CATHOLIC UNDERGROUND

JUST BELOW THE SUNSET STRIP

EVERY 3RD SATURDAY OF THE MONTH @ ST. VICTOR CATHOLIC CHURCH - FROM 8 TO 10 PM

•8634 HOLLOWAY DR. - WEST HOLLYWOOD - CA - 90069

FROM JP II'S LETTER TO ARTISTS...

...WITH THIS LETTER, I TURN TO YOU, THE ARTISTS OF THE WORLD, TO ASSURE YOU OF MY ESTEEM AND TO HELP CONSOLIDATE A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ART AND THE CHURCH. MINE IS AN INVITATION TO REDISCOVER THE DEPTH OF THE SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS DIMENSION WHICH HAS BEEN TYPICAL OF ART IN ITS NOBLEST FORMS IN EVERY AGE. IT IS WITH THIS IN MIND THAT I APPEAL TO YOU, ARTISTS OF THE WRITTEN AND SPOKEN WORD, OF THE THEATRE AND MUSIC, OF THE PLASTIC ARTS AND THE MOST RECENT TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATION. I APPEAL ESPECIALLY TO YOU, CHRISTIAN ARTISTS: I WISH TO REMIND EACH OF YOU THAT, BEYOND FUNCTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, THE CLOSE ALLIANCE THAT HAS ALWAYS EXISTED BETWEEN THE GOSPEL AND ART MEANS THAT YOU ARE INVITED TO USE YOUR CREATIVE INTUITION TO ENTER INTO THE HEART OF THE MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATE GOD AND AT THE SAME TIME INTO THE MYSTERY OF MAN. HUMAN BEINGS, IN A CERTAIN SENSE, ARE UNKNOWN TO THEMSELVES. JESUS CHRIST NOT ONLY REVEALS GOD, BUT “FULLY REVEALS MAN TO MAN”. IN CHRIST, GOD HAS RECONCILED THE WORLD TO HIMSELF. ALL BELIEVERS ARE CALLED TO BEAR WITNESS TO THIS; BUT IT IS UP TO YOU, MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE GIVEN YOUR LIVES TO ART, TO DECLARE WITH ALL THE WEALTH OF YOUR INGENUITY THAT IN CHRIST THE WORLD IS REDEEMED: THE HUMAN PERSON IS REDEEMED, THE HUMAN BODY IS REDEEMED, AND THE WHOLE CREATION WHICH, ACCORDING TO SAINT PAUL, “AWAITS IMPATIENTLY THE REVELATION OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD” (ROM 8:19), IS REDEEMED. THE CREATION AWAITS THE REVELATION OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD ALSO THROUGH ART AND IN ART. THIS IS YOUR TASK. HUMANITY IN EVERY AGE, AND EVEN TODAY, LOOKS TO WORKS OF ART TO SHED LIGHT UPON ITS PATH AND ITS DESTINY.