Msgr. Pope on Art and the Glory of the Human Soul

"One of the more common modern themes is that the human person is really nothing more than a smart ape or an above-average animal. To this I must reply, 'Nonsense!,

"It is true that we have many similarities to primates and, really, to all mammals. But the similarities stop there.

"At the level of the soul the differences could not be greater! Animals do not compose symphonies; they do not write great works of literature or create magnificent art. They do not build cities or form bicameral legislatures.  They do not pass laws or even ponder right and wrong. They do not punish crime or reward virtue. They have no museums or libraries to collect their great works. They do not invent telescopes to look to the stars; they have not been to the moon and back or even wish to go there. They do not speak or sing, not because they lack a larynx, but because they have nothing to say, nothing to sing joyfully or to lament. They may suffer physical pain but they do not cry out in anguish, Why?' They do not have cemeteries or religious rites. They may form packs to hunt but they do not form brotherhoods to assist the widows of dead members. They do not send their children to school to learn and they do not desire something greater for them. They do not ponder the Pythagorean theorem and its relationship to music theory. They do not build hospitals, theaters, or sports arenas.  They do not hold contests or celebrate weddings. They do not debate rights or justice or have courts. They do not have armies or go to war."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the fine arts and how these gifts reflect, in some way, God's presence in our lives.

To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:

Msgr. Charles Pope: The Magnificent Mystery of Art and the Glory of the Human Soul (29 SEP 14)