Prayers - Daniel A. Lord, SJ

DANIEL A. LORD, SJ - 1888-1955

God of All,

Thank you for the creative, indefatigable dreamer and organizer, Daniel A. Lord, SJ, who formed the once very popular
Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

He gave dreams and vigor to youth, idealistic purpose to our lives, and inspiration
to our prayers in the 1940's and the 1950's through radio, and the evolving network
of television stations.

Thank you, Lord, for the energy
and imagination of this outstanding Jesuit youth leader.

May he now be with You in Your heavenly kingdom, enjoying the rewards
of his indefectible earthly journey!

Amen

As a high school sophomore, I traveled
with thousands of other students on buses
to attend an enormous youth rally which Father Lord organized in Saint Louis in 1946. The event filled a huge indoor sports arena.

There were prayers, music, and most of all the resonant, optimistic words
of Father Lord, himself. He had, in 1925, established the Jesuit-sponsored
Sodality of the Blessed Virgin.

The cavernous space rocked with his exuberant message, and our energetic rendition
of For Christ the King, the Sodality Song
for which he wrote the words and composed
the music. He also wrote more than 90 books and nearly 300 religious pamphlets.

Lord was extremely influential in Hollywood after establishing a film-rating organization called The Legion of Decency in 1936.
His A+ to "Condemned" ratings were published
in Catholic newspapers and parish bulletins across the country. An article about
him in America Magazine was entitled: Hollywood Priest.

He produced a number of elaborate religious pageants in Saint Louirs, but no photos seem to exist. A condescending historian described "Lord pounding away at the piano, spotlights turning from one end of the proscenium
to the other and much flapping of drapery
and theatrical gowns. Lord took his pageants on the road, from city to city, directing
his plays in sold-out venues."

Father Lord's dedication and prodigious ministry, and his fervent and theatrical dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary,
are not forgotten.

"Lord’s ability to engage and energize youth was unmatched in his time. He made the truth attractive, spoke frankly about the church’s teachings and imparted his message with youthful enthusiasm. Lord’s legacy to this century, then, is not a call for the church to turn back the clock to a bygone era but
to use every means to evangelize zealously
in the 21st century." Rev. David J. Endres

http://americamagazine.org/issue/554/faith-focus/dan-lord-hollywood-priest

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