Prayer offered in honor of the life of Bishop Francis A. Quinn who first offered this prayer on April 1, 1993:
Dear Divine Parent in Heaven, I propose eight new beatitudes for state Senators and for all of us.
The first beatitude: Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you who insist that the state live within its means, you will have a budget completed by June 15.
Blessed are you who cut the fat out of the budget, but not the lean sinew and bone of the poor.
Blessed are you who are disciplined by your party for following your convictions, rather than party lines, you will overcome.
Blessed are you who mourn now because you are criticized by the powerful lobbies, you will be comforted by your conscience.
Blessed are you who hunger and thirst for the sake of the powerless, those not likely to go to the polls on Election Day, for you will have self-esteem,
Blessed are you who “live simply, so that others may simply live.”
And the eighth beatitude: Blessed are you who vote according to conscience, you can be reelected.
Lord, You know that history will not judge these elected leaders by the number of terms they served, but by the quality of those terms. At the end of their careers, may they be known not simply as politicians or even as Senators, but as statesmen and Stateswomen. And may Bishop Quinn rest in peace.—AMEN.
