Prayer of the Faithful Artist

During noon mass this week, I was struck by the irony of the Priest's prayer asking that "Artists, Authors, and Performers may use their talents to speak up for the unborn and for all who suffer injustice." Only a few weeks ago, Roman Catholic leaders galvanized conservative political support to censor artistic freedom at the Smithsonian, and here was a prayer asking for them to side with the church agenda. The true irony is that they will get just what they've asked for: Artists speaking out against the injustice of censorship, and I pray that the clergy may soon follow their lead.