Wojtyla and the Theater

One thing is crystal clear: Karol Josef Wojtyla/Pope John Paul II loved life and lived it to its fullest.

One aspect of life especially dear to him was the arts, specifically theater arts. In fact, not only was Pope John Paul II a prolific pastoral writer but he was also an accomplished playwright. His most well-known theatrical work is a play known as "The Jeweler's Shop." If you haven't read it, I encourage you to pick up a copy or check out the made for television that aired in the U.S. after Pope's death.

Karol Wojtyla loved life and continued to celebrate this great gift throughout the years of his papacy. As a young man, he came to enjoy the rich gift of writing, a treasure we would receive years later, and the creative, expressive space of theater.

Recognizing John Paul II's love for the theater invites all of us to consider the arts as a place where God is to be found and where God can be made known and loved, not only in works that are religious in purpose but in works considered secular that carry a moral or spiritual message.