Kevin O’Brien….

of the Theatre of the Word, Incorporated, writes:

Dear Friends,

Aug. 17 begins the online novena to St. Genesius, patron of actors. Please join in. St. Genesius, a persistent saint whose time has come, is needed to help us reform the dramatic and cinematic arts. Please join in and pray for the actor or the cause of your choice.

The Chestertonians are asking for his intercession on three issues in particular: 1. Blessings upon the post-production and distribution of “Manalive”, 2. Funding to make the Father Brown television series, 3. Blessings upon our audio book projects. If such things strike you as they do us as being important tools of evangelization, please join us in prayer. St. Genesius is very seriously helpful, and spiritual insights at least come to us though the annual novena.

His feast day is Aug. 25, a date he shares with the patron of my archdiocese, St. Louis the King, crusader and lover of the poor. Their combined prayers, along with our man Gilbert’s, and all of ours, are wonderful offerings to the Lord.

If you’d rather not participate online, simply recite the prayers below.

God bless,

Kevin

Prayer to St Genesius

Holy St Genesius,
martyr for Christ,
by the grace of the Holy Spirit
through your acting
you came to discover
the truth of the Christian faith.
In your first profession of that faith
you were baptized through the shedding
of your blood,
offering your life for the praise and glory
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pray for those who dedicate their lives
to the theatrical and cinematic arts.
Like you may they find the presence
of the Lord in their work
and generously open their hearts
to his teaching,
living it in the midst of the challenges
and demands of their calling.
In this novena, I remember most especially.., commending him/her to your care.

Let us pray:

Eternal Father, in your love you call all men and women to come to know you and to share in your divine life. Through the intercession of your martyr, Genesius, who responded so generously to the grace of conversion, grant that the same grace may be given to those who as yet do not know you, and may be renewed in those who do. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

By the way, Kevin has also just posted his enthusiastic review of the recent American Chesterton Conference here in Seattle for the St. Austin Review.

Turns out it was pretty good!