My favorite existentialist philosopher is Gabriel Marcel. His insights into the mystery of the human person are beautiful, even inspiring. But reading him is demanding. One of the best essays I have read explaining Marcel’s vision of the human person and God is in Father Francis M. Tyrrell’s wonderful book “Man: Believer and Unbeliever” (New York: Alba House, 1974, 415 pp.).

The last two columns were about existentialist philosophers. One was about Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), the first existentialist and a deeply religious Christian, the other was about the most famous atheistic existentialist, Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980).

I had an interesting experience last August. I was at the dentist and the gentleman who handles finances for the dentist and who is very interested in computers, asked me a question: “What are you going to do about artificial intelligence?” I told him that I did not know anything about it. 

About a month ago I had a strange experience in relation to one of the philosophy courses that I teach at St. John’s University. The students and I were about to begin studying the philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855). As I was looking through my notes I discovered 10 pages of notes about Kierkegaard that I had not looked at in years. These 10 pages were misplaced among other notes. 

There are several reasons why I greatly enjoyed an essay in the October 2023 issue of Commonweal, “From Glory to Glory: Louis Bouyer’s Cosmic Vision” by Robert P. Imbelli. One reason is that it brought back some wonderful memories. 

Two of my friends tell me to watch only 15 minutes of the evening news on television. They tell me that watching more might lead to depression or discouragement. I know what they mean. 

Perhaps I am still being influenced indirectly by Pope Francis’ talk to Catholic artists that he delivered in Rome last May. I did not need to be convinced about the important role that artists can play in our society, but the words of Pope Francis led me to make some good resolutions. 

I think I have seen four or five operas in my life. There is no way that I would describe myself as an “opera buff.” However, as soon as I learned that the opera “Dead Man Walking” was going to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in October, I knew that I had to see it.

Each time I re-read the Holy Father’s message to Catholic artists which he delivered in Rome last May I experience the excitement that I felt the first time I read it. I am wondering if readers of this column share my views about the importance of art in our lives and also whether they think of art in relation to their faith in the way that Pope Francis relates art to religious faith. 

For the past few weeks I have been thinking about the wonderful talk that Pope Francis gave to Catholic artists last May in Rome. I keep returning to it, and each time I re-read it I feel renewed.