Catholic poet Ryan Wilson rejoins the podcast to read poems from his latest collection, In Ghostlight, which deals with themes of memory in a "haunted" world, encounters with realities beyond us, and reinterpreting ancient myths (Orpheus as a hair metal singer!). He also introduces four Catholic poets from his new anthology co-edited with April Lindner, Contemporary Catholic Poets.

Links

Ryan Wilson, In Ghostlight: Poems https://lsupress.org/9780807181478/in-ghostlight/

Contemporary Catholic Poets: An Anthology, ed. Ryan Wilson and April Lindner https://paracletepress.com/collections/coming-soon/products/contemporary-catholic-poetry

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James Majewski plays guest host in this episode, asking Thomas about his recent essay critiquing the well-known Christian film distributor Angel Studios (associated with The Chosen, Sound of Freedom, and Cabrini).

Articles and podcasts mentioned:

“Angel Studios: Questioning the hype” https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/angel-studios-hype/

“Cabrini secularizes a saint” https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/cabrini-secularizes-saint/

“Cabrini and the denial that Christ is for everyone” https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/cabrini-and-denial-that-christ-is-for-everyone/

Thomas’s article on Padre Pio in Dappled Things https://www.dappledthings.org/deep-down-things/about-that-padre-pio-film

Pope Pius XII on the Ideal Film, Pt. 2 https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/pope-pius-xii-on-ideal-film-pt-2-church-teaching-on-cinema/

New Catholic Culture columnist Peter Wolfgang https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/authors.cfm?authorid=56

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Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986) was one of the greatest sacred composers of the 20th century, best known for his Requiem and his motet "Ubi caritas". His lush and tranquil choral and organ works combine a deep familiarity with Gregorian chant with the style of impressionism, imbued with a sense of prayer as he was a devout Catholic.

Organist and choirmaster Christopher Berry, who studied organ under Duruflé's widow, Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, joins the podcast to discuss Maurice Duruflé in his historical context as someone who, from childhood, was schooled in the Church's ancient chant tradition, and as an adult applied Pope St. Pius X's instructions for sacred music which were so influential on that generation. Schooled at the Paris conservatory, Duruflé received rigorous training in improvisation, which was the core skill for French organists at that time. His approach to improvising on chant and hymn melodies can still be heard in Catholic churches today.

Links

Catholic Institute of Sacred Music https://catholicinstituteofsacredmusic.org/

Music heard in this episode:

Excerpts from the Requiem—courtesy of Voices of Ascension https://www.amazon.com/Durufle-Album-Requiem-Messe-Jubilo/dp/B0000006ZS

(See their upcoming performance season at www.VoicesofAscension.org)

Prélude et fugue sur le nom d'Alain op. 7 - played by Marie-Madeleine Duruflé

Excerpt from Choral varié sur le Veni Creator op.4 - played by Maurice Duruflé himself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SBCDScgqsQ

Ubi caritas - by Choir of St. John's Elora

Tantum ergo - by St. John's College Choir

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A collection of highlight clips from past episodes.

77 Gene Wolfe, Catholic Sci-Fi Legend—Sandra Miesel, Fr. Brendon Laroche

https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-77-gene-wolfe-catholic-sci-fi-legend-sandra-miesel-fr-brendon-laroche/

Ben-Hur w/ Elizabeth Lev (Criteria: The Catholic Film Podcast)

https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ben-hur-1959-w-elizabeth-lev/

80 Bring Out Your Dead - Scott Hahn

https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-80-bring-out-your-dead-scott-hahn/

81 Love Like a Conflagration - Jane Greer

https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-81-love-like-conflagration-jane-greer/

126 How Charlie Parker Changed My Life

https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/126-how-charlie-parker-changed-my-life/

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In his new book published by Word on Fire, Beauty & Imitation: A Philosophical Reflection on the Arts, philosopher and novelist Daniel McInerny argues for a recovery of the Aristotelian understanding of art as fundamentally imitative or mimetic. More boldly, he claims that this imitation is narrative and moral in nature, even in art forms that are not typically considered storytelling arts.

In this episode Daniel introduces this theory of mimesis, after which there is a robust back-and-forth between Daniel and Thomas on whether moral narrative is really the primary purpose of arts like painting and music.

Links

Beauty & Imitation: A Philosophical Reflection on the Arts https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/products/beauty-and-imitation

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Poet & philosopher James Matthew Wilson rejoins the show to read poems from his new collection, Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds, published by Word on Fire; and to discuss the tradition of English poetry, especially with regard to meter.

Don't miss the title poem, a verse setting of a passage from Aquinas's Summa Theologiae!

Links

Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/products/saint-thomas-and-the-forbidden-birds

The Fortunes of Poetry in an Age of Unmaking https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/store/p82/The_Fortunes_of_Poetry_in_an_Age_of_Unmaking%2C_by_James_Matthew_Wilson.html

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On June 29 and 30, in South Bend, Indiana, there will be a major and even unprecedented event in the history of American Catholic art: a new, full-length classical ballet production with a new story, new music, new sets and costumes, and nationally known dancers - with a cast of about fifty. This fairytale ballet, titled Raffaella, was commissioned by Duncan and Ruth Stroik in honor of their daughter Raffaella Maria Stroik, a dancer with the St. Louis Ballet who passed away tragically in 2018 at the age of 23.

In the first segment, Thomas Mirus interviews impresario Duncan Stroik about the ballet as a whole and the process of putting together such a huge production. In the second, he interviews composer Michael Kurek and choreographer Claire Kretzschmar about the collaboration between music and dance, and the difference between classical and modern ballet.

Links

Tickets for Raffaella https://raffaellaballet.org/

See rehearsal footage on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raffaella.ballet/

Michael Kurek https://michaelkurek.com/

Claire Kretzschmar at Ballet Hartford https://www.ballethartford.com/

Duncan Stroik https://www.stroik.com/

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A new book presenting material from Flannery O’Connor’s unfinished third novel shows the great Catholic writer pushing beyond her established fictional territory. Jessica Hooten Wilson returns to the podcast to discuss her book, Flannery O’Connor’s Why Do the Heathen Rage? A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Work in Progress.

Please consider donating to Catholic Culture's May fundraising campaign so this show can continue! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Links

Flannery O’Connor’s Why Do the Heathen Rage? A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Work in Progress https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/542827

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