Students at John Paul the Great Catholic University put together a 3-minute inspirational video to commemorate the canonization of John Paul II with something that is near and dear to our hearts, his Letter to Artists!

For those who are unfamiliar with this hidden gem of John Paul II’s papacy: on Easter of 1999, John Paul II wrote a letter to all who work in the creative fields – poets, writers, actors, musicians, media professionals, etc. – to remind them of their vocation to Beauty. He urged them not to waste their artistic talent but to develop it, and to put it at the service of humanity as an authentic “vehicle of culture.”

Many of the students Great Catholic University are pursuing careers in the arts –  film directing, screenwriting, acting, game design – and fifteen years later John Paul II’s letter remains a source of both inspiration and challenge.

The video below is merely a 3-minute summary of a rich, 6,000 word letter. Not all lines spoken are direct quotes, and some are paraphrased, inferred, or rearranged, while still retaining the message of the original letter. To read the full version his Letter to Artists, click here.