Vatican embraces Wilde as 'dazzling' Catholic icon

Asiaprod

This very interesting piece appeared in todays Independent (On Line edition). Sorry for the lenght.

Vatican embraces Wilde as 'dazzling' Catholic icon
OSCAR WILDE, poet, playwright, gay icon and deathbed convert to Catholicism, has been paid a rare tribute by the Vatican. His aphorisms are quoted in a collection of maxims and witticisms for Christians that has been published by one of the Pope's closest aides. Wilde (1854-1900) had long been regarded with distaste by the Vatican - a dissolute homosexual jailed for acts of gross indecency over his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas.

The book, compiled by Father Leonardo Sapienza, head of protocol at the Vatican, includes such Wildean gems as "I can resist everything except temptation" and "The only way to get rid of a temptation is yield to it" - hardly orthodox Catholic teaching. Father Sapienza said that he had devoted the lion's share of 'Provocations: Aphorisms for an Anti-conformist Christianity' to Wilde because he was "a writer who lived perilously and somewhat scandalously but who has left us some razor-sharp maxims with a moral". The book also includes contributions from the Colombian philosopher Nicolas Gomez Davila.

Force
Father Sapienza said Wilde had been a great writer of powerful force and dazzling intelligence, now chiefly remembered not for his promiscuity but for plays such as 'The Importance of Being Earnest' and 'An Ideal Husband' as well as moral tales such as 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', in which a vain young man pays a terrible price for selling his soul to gain eternal youth.
He said that his aim was to "stimulate a reawakening in certain Catholic circles". Christianity, he said, was intended to be a radical cure, not a humdrum remedy for curing the common cold. "Our role is to to move people's consciences and to tackle what today is the number one enemy of religion - indifference."
"What a surprise!" said Italian daily newspaper 'La Repubblica'. "A homosexual icon has been accepted by the Vatican."
Orazio La Rocca, a veteran Vatican watcher, said the book was a bombshell. Pope Benedict XVI has reinforced Catholic teaching that homosexuality is a disorder. On the other hand, he has belied his reputation as a hardliner since his election, reserving most of his fire for apathy and relativism in a bid to revive Christian faith in Europe.
Wilde, who was married with two children, was tried in 1895 over his relationship with Lord Douglas (known as Bosie), son of the Marquess of Queensberry, who had accused Wilde of sodomy. The writer sued Queensberry but lost and was sentenced to two years' hard labour.
He displayed a long fascination with Catholicism, once remarking: "I am not a Catholic - I am simply a violent Papist."
He was born in Dublin to a Protestant family but fell under the spell of Catholicism at Oxford. He even made a journey for an audience with the Pope, but declared: "To go to Rome would be to sacrifice and give up my two great Gods: Money and Ambition."
The way for Wilde's rehabilitation was paved six years ago by a Jesuit theologian, Father Antonio Spadaro. On the centenary of Wilde's death, he raised eyebrows by praising the "understanding of God's love" that had followed Wilde's imprisonment in Reading Gaol.
Father Spadaro said that at the end of his life, Wilde had seen into the depths of his own soul and in his last works, such as 'De Profundis', had made "an implicit journey of faith." He said Wilde had come to see that God was capable of "breaking hearts of stone and entering into them with mercy and forgiveness."

robindch

Bizarre. Far from converting to catholicism, I thought that Wilde's last words were "Either the wallpaper goes, or I do"

More seriously, the meningitis that killed him causes delirium, so Sapienza may need to step carefully before attributing too much to the death-bed conversion story. And some of the "razor-sharp maxims with a moral"? Hmmmm:

"To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance."
"I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability."
"A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it."
“Science is the record of dead religions.”
"There is no sin except stupidity."
"Truth, in matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has survived."

..and wasn't there also a story about when he was doing the oral part of his final Greek exam in university and was asked to translate a section of the NT which he was supposed to have studied? He was given the book and produced a florid translation which continued well past the end of the section he was given. The examiners asked him to stop, but he refused saying that he wanted to see how the story ended.

All in all, perhaps 'dazzling' isn't the best word!

Asiaprod

robindch wrote:

All in all, perhaps 'dazzling' isn't the best word!

Dazzling indeed. I posted this not to start a controversy or religion bashing, but because I am truly astounded by this development, and very puzzled by how it all came about. Robindch, I think you have said eloquently what was running through my mind. Can anyone shed any light on this one. I would never have seen Oscar Wild as any kind of Catholic Icon.

<no religion bashing please, I'm interested in opinions>

Sangre

I wonder if he is in hell now for being a batty boy.

bus77

Asiaprod wrote:

"To go to Rome would be to sacrifice and give up my two great Gods: Money and Ambition."
Father Spadaro said that at the end of his life, Wilde had seen into the depths of his own soul and in his last works, such as 'De Profundis', had made "an implicit journey of faith."

He made the church come to him, eventually

maitri

Asiaprod wrote:

Can anyone shed any light on this one. I would never have seen Oscar Wild as any kind of Catholic Icon.

Try reading The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde

Or The Happy Prince

When it comes to his darker works, remember: What is poison for one person might be medicine for another...;)

BTW, I've always loved Oscar Wilde since I was almost scared to death by The Picture Dorian Gray when I was twelve.

robindch

> Try reading The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde

I wasn't going to add TSG to the long-enough list of other stuff above, but Wilde is a subtle and clever enough writer that the eccentric conclusion to The Selfish Giant doesn't seem to me to be anything other than a lampoon of one religious style of story telling.

Others may disagree!

maitri

robindch wrote:

Wilde is a subtle and clever enough writer that the eccentric conclusion to The Selfish Giant doesn't seem to me to be anything other than a lampoon of one religious style of story telling.

I might be totally wrong of course, but I think there is more to it than that. (After all he wrote these stories for his sons).

Anyway, I believe Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was a very complex and somewhat "inconsistent" kind of person who was totally able to be ironical and honest at the same time. After all he said:"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative."

And if the Vatican embraces him maybe it's a sign that they have become more open and tolerant than they have been in the past? One can always hope.


Ah, but I forgot, Wilde is also the author of one of my fav ghost stories :

The Canterville Ghost