Art and Environment
In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art. Art must make perceptible, and as far as possible attractive, the world of the spirit, of the invisible, of God. It must therefore translate into meaningful terms that, which is in itself ineffable. Art has a unique capacity to take one or other facet of the message and translate it into colors, shapes, and sounds, which nourish the intuition of those who look or listen. It does so without emptying the message itself of its transcendent value and its aura of mystery.
John Paul II, Letter to Artists, 1999
www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/
letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_23041999_artists_en.html
Full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgy by all the faithful is essential for being church. The environment for liturgy is much more than a backdrop; it should support and enhance the liturgy, invite believers, gather them as one, exhort them, renew their spirits and nourish them for their journey. It must be a space, a place capable of bearing the weight of the mystery, both the human and the inexhaustible mystery of the Incarnation.
