Yesterday, Nov. 1, actor and United States Senator Fred Thompson passed away from lymphoma at the age of 73.
I had the inestimable pleasure of sitting next to him during a press luncheon several years ago. It was an election year, and one of the publicists told me it was because she knew that Thompson and I were simpatico, and I wouldn’t give him a hard time about politics. Ironically, we didn’t even discuss politics — what a lovely, gentlemanly man.
No doubt, Thompson will show up in one of the “death rolls” (sorry, but that’s what they’re called) that show up every year on awards shows to honor those artists lost to the world in the previous year — but whether their pictures are up on a screen or not, creative lights go off around the world each day.
Whatever Hollywood tells you, many of them do what they do for the greater glory of God — and even if they don’t intend to, sometimes they do, anyway.
Oremus:
Prayer for Departed Artists
By Kate O’Hare
Lord of all creation,
Most loving and just God,
You are the source of everything good, true and beautiful.
When we put forward our words, our music, our images, our voices and our movement in service of Art,
All has its birth in You.
As the Holy Spirit descends to inspire the faithful artists,
So Sister Death gathers them back into the welcoming arms of the Father.
With sorrow and hope, we bid farewell to points of light now gone out,
Celebrating the beauty they produced in life,
Sending prayers aloft to You for their souls and the grief of their loved ones.
We also mourn for ourselves, facing a future left a bit less bright.
But always, Christ our King,
We know You will set new lights ablaze,
And help us bank the creative fires in our own hearts,
To better praise You in Your Glory,
Through your Mercy and boundless Love.
With all those the Holy Spirit inspires, we ask intercession from
Our Blessed Virgin Mary, the embodiment of Christian holiness,
Ora pro nobis!
St. Clare, who watches over television,
Ora pro nobis!
St. Veronica, who watches over photographers and filmmakers,
Ora pro nobis!
St. Cecilia, who watches over musicians,
Ora pro nobis!
St. Vitus, who watches over dancers,
Ora pro nobis!
St. Genesius, who watches over actors,
Ora pro nobis!
St. Francis de Sales, who watches over writers,
Ora pro nobis!
St. Luke, who watches over visual artists,
Ora pro nobis!
And St. Isidore, who watches over the Web that binds us together,
Ora pro nobis!
Gracious Father, our creative souls are restless
Until they rest in You.
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti,
Amen.
I also wrote a prayer for all the faithful departed. Click here for that.
Image: Kate O’Hare