When a writer pens poetry he or she uses a linguistic paintbrush to form in the mind of the reader a place full of emotion that no other writing style can express.
Human experiences are so deep and so powerful that our language does them no justice. What seems like nonsensical combinations of words, when internally processed, give us the ability to deeply feel the meaning of the author.
Religious poetry inspires us, convicts us, and helps bring us closer to the suffering of Christ. Poems from the saints can be inspiring by their failures and perseverance to become holy.
Their failures and struggles inspire us because we can see ourselves in those struggles and see a way past them through the lives and the love of the Saints. Poetry helps the author express lamentation over the lost time to love God once His love is discovered, mourning over the times we look back at our rejection of Him in our lives.
Poetry also has a way of beautifully articulating truths in ways that burn the love of God into the heart and mind.
A first glance at poetry doesn’t always do it justice. Many times we as readers need to look deeper into the life and times of the poet to gain perspective and the meaning that was intended.
Once the poem is understood from the perspective of the poet then we can glean our own understanding and self-revelations from it.
Here we share with you some of our favorite Catholic Poetry:
G.K. Chesterton, (1874- 1936) an English Catholic writer, journalist, and apologetic, most famous for his ‘Fr Brown’ series.
St. Augustine (354- 430) a saint most famous for his dramatic conversion from a hedonistic lifestyle to a passionate follower of Christ, Augustine’s writings sum up the earthy, real joys and struggles of finding God
St. Teresa of Avila (1515- 1582) A Carmelite nun, theologian, and writer who experienced a mystic relationship with God.
Lope de Vega (1562- 1635) A Spanish writer who was very influential to Baroque literature.
St. John of the Cross (1542- 1591) A Spanish Carmelite priest, who wrote on his struggles of faith in his ‘Dark Night of the Soul’.
Miguel de Unamuno (1864- 1936) Born in the Basque Country, Miguel de Unamuno was a writer and philosopher who died under house-arrest.
Charles Péguy (1873- 1914) A French writer, whose newly developed Catholicism permeated much of his work. He died early on in World War One.
Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844- 1889) A Jesuit poet-priest who converted to Catholicism who wrote with beauty and imagery that made his work extremely popular.
J.R.R. Tolkien (1892- 1973) Most famous for his trilogy The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien was a prolific Catholic writer whose work was often an allegory of Christianity.
