Why do we need Catholic historical fiction? As Pope Benedict XVI said in his 2009 “Address to Artists“: “Art, in all its forms, at the point where it encounters the great questions of our existence, the fundamental themes that give life its meaning, can take on a religious quality, thereby turning into a path of profound inner reflection and spirituality….”
The novel is certainly an art form. I write historical fiction and I try to see my books as a window into the past, as paintings which come to life and bring history to life for the reader. As Pope John Paul II wrote in his 1999 “Letter to Artists“:
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.
The Church has need especially of those who can do this on the literary and figurative level, using the endless possibilities of images and their symbolic force. Christ himself made extensive use of images in his preaching, fully in keeping with his willingness to become, in the Incarnation, the icon of the unseen God.
In this modern world we are surrounded by negative images, images which can seduce and disturb the soul, generating despair. As Pope Benedict said:
Too often, though, the beauty that is thrust upon us is illusory and deceitful, superficial and blinding, leaving the onlooker dazed; instead of bringing him out of himself and opening him up to horizons of true freedom as it draws him aloft, it imprisons him within himself and further enslaves him, depriving him of hope and joy.
This is particularly true of novels and historical fiction, which often use false interpretations of history to attack not only the church, but to subvert morals and promote an anti-Christian agenda. I am thinking particularly of Dan Brown’s books which use bogus history to promote a false image of Christ and Christians. Such novels are now legion. The back lash of this is to write a Catholic novel where all the Catholics are saints and all the non-Catholics are horrible people. But that is not real either.
The Church has always been a hospital for sinners and the so-called “bad Catholics” have always been with us, and probably will be until the end of time. A genuine portrayal of the past will reflect that fact. One of the challenges of my newest book The Night’s Dark Shade is that it shows Catholics Behaving Badly. Should we gloss over historical truth? I think that if we stay faithful to the truths of our faith as well as being faithful to historical accuracy, the faith will shine through. In the darkest times, there were always saints, there were martyrs. As I wrote in the preface of Trianon: “The darkness of the night makes the stars shine with an ever greater resplendence.” But prayer and research must accompany our journey, thorough prayer and thorough research.
I want to end with another quote from Pope Benedict XVI’s 2009 Address to Artists:

Through your art, you yourselves are to be heralds and witnesses of hope for humanity! And do not be afraid to approach the first and last source of beauty, to enter into dialogue with believers, with those who, like yourselves, consider that they are pilgrims in this world and in history towards infinite Beauty! Faith takes nothing away from your genius or your art: on the contrary, it exalts them and nourishes them, it encourages them to cross the threshold and to contemplate with fascination and emotion the ultimate and definitive goal, the sun that does not set, the sun that illumines this present moment and makes it beautiful.

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Elena Maria Vidal is the author of the historical novels Trianon, Madame Royale, and The Night’s Dark Shade. Please visit Elena at her Tea at Trianon blog and on Facebook and Twitter.

Elena Maria Vidal grew up in Frederick, Maryland and is the author of the historical novels TRIANON, MADAME ROYALE and THE NIGHT'S DARK SHADE: A NOVEL OF THE CATHARS. Elena has been a contributor to Canticle Magazine, Touchstone Magazine, The American Conservative and The National Observer. In April 2009 she was a speaker at the Eucharistic Convention in Auckland, New Zealand. She is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild and the Eastern Shore Writers Association. She currently lives in Maryland with her family and is working on a historical novel about her Irish ancestors. Elena blogs at http://teaattrianon.blogspot.com/.

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By Catholic Writers Guild3 Comments on The Importance of Catholic Historical Fiction

3 Replies to “The Importance of Catholic Historical Fiction”

  1. Thank you very much, Larry.

    Antonella, you have an interesting blog. Just keep writing and never give up.

  2. I have worked as a painter and a restorer of antiques, often religious paintings when I was living in Italy (I moved in the USA 11 years ago), but I discovered the pleasure of writing after my conversion, five years ago. Writing is my form of prayer, brings me closer to Christ and today I find it much more fulfilling than painting. I wrote a book based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, imagining myself as a first century Jewish woman who follows Jesus during his ministry. Each Gospel account is followed by meditations and recollections about my past, so only one third of the book is historical fiction. But to be in Jesus' presence, even if only in my imagination, has been an incredible experience. I have sent out some proposals and received some very positive comments, although I had to realize that some publishers specialize in a specific genre and would have difficulties with a book like mine. But the biggest obstacle to its publication is the fact that I don't have a platform, so I started a blog. It would be wonderful if you could visit it. Here is the link: http://idealista-ontheroadtojerusalem.blogspot.com.
    I will visit yours soon.
    Bye Bye! Antonella

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