Edgar Allan Poe?

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Monica4316

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Hello, I’m just wondering what was the relationship with Edgar Allan Poe with the Catholic Church? Were any of his books on the Index? Are his poems safe to read? Personally I find them too dark but I’m wondering if the Church has said anything. I don’t read the poems myself but I’m just wondering in general… Thanks!
 
I don’t have a clue about that. Considering what is popular literature now with vampires, zombies, sexual experimentation, demon possessed children…Poe seems pretty tame.
 
Monica4316 said:
Hello, I’m just wondering what was the relationship with Edgar Allan Poe with the Catholic Church? Were any of his books on the Index? Are his poems safe to read? Personally I find them too dark but I’m wondering if the Church has said anything. I don’t read the poems myself but I’m just wondering in general… Thanks!
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The Church doesn’t speak on every author. If you find his poems “too dark,” then stay away from them. That doesn’t mean they aren’t “safe to read” for others. I love his poems.
 
I don’t find any of Poe’s works on the list but I’m always surprised by those I do find, a bunch of authors that were in my elementary school books:
Victor Hugo, Jean de LaFontaine, Alexandre Dumas (father & son), etc.

Others, like Gustave de Flaubert & Jean Jacques Rousseau were in my high school text books.
 
robertericleech said:
The ‘Index’ was abolished in 1966, and I’d be very surprised if any of Poe’s works were ever on it…I think he’s pretty tame!

I don’t think he was Catholic, but he did write a Marian Hymn: patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2015/01/edgar-allan-poes-hymn-to-our-lady/
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The Index was abolished but that does not mean the books on it are now okay to read. Pope Benedict (while still Cardinal Ratzinger) made that clear when people thought The Poem of the Man God" which was on the list is now permitted to be read since the List was abolished.

QUOTE
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, present head of the Sacred Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith (formerly the same office that condemned the
“Poem”), informed Cardinal Siri in 1985 of the "Poem’s condemnation:

After the dissolution of the Index, when some people thought the printing
and distribution of the work was permitted, they were reminded again in
L’Osservatore Romano (June 15, 1966) that** “The Index retains its moral
force despite its dissolution.” **
UNQUOTE
 
If you were to spend your life not reading certain authors or listening to certain music etc because they differ to your faith then life would be very dull. I am sure not all sports stars or teams are catholic either. I really enjoy Poe’s work very cleverly written and great imagination.
 
William F. Buckley used to joke that he was disappointed the Church abolished the Index, because having Jean-Paul Sartre’s works on it provided him with a convenient excuse for not having to read them.

I got the Sartre reading out of the way before I converted. I found him incredibly boring, even as an undergraduate.

My wife and I were lucky enough to visit the Poe House Museum in Baltimore a few years ago, as well as his grave site. On a very dreary day. It was awesome, I got some great pictures.
 
robertericleech said:
William F. Buckley used to joke that he was disappointed the Church abolished the Index, because having Jean-Paul Sartre’s works on it provided him with a convenient excuse for not having to read them.

I got the Sartre reading out of the way before I converted. I found him incredibly boring, even as an undergraduate.

My wife and I were lucky enough to visit the Poe House Museum in Baltimore a few years ago, as well as his grave site. On a very dreary day. It was awesome, I got some great pictures.
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I bet the Poe House Museum was very interesting. I have a humongous book of Edgar Allan Poe. I need to just tell myself after I finish the book I am reading now I should open that one.
I think we read one of his stories in high school.
I wonder if Poe’s stories are popular in other countries.
 
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