Prayer for the Beatification of G. K. Chesterton

God Our Father,
You filled the life of Your servant
Gilbert Keith Chesterton
with a sense of wonder and joy, and gave him a faith which was the foundation of his ceaseless work,
a charity towards all men, particularly his opponents,
and a hope which sprang from his lifelong gratitude for the gift of human life.

May his innocence and his laughter,
his constancy in fighting for the Christian faith
in a world losing belief,
his lifelong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
and his love for all men,
especially for the poor,
bring cheerfulness to those in despair,
conviction and warmth to lukewarm believers
and the knowledge of God to those without faith.

We beg You to grant the favors we ask
through his intercession
(the end of abortion in this Country
and our other special intentions)
so that his holiness may be recognized by all
and the Church may proclaim him Blessed.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Source: Ecumenical Diablog.

Translated from ornate English into standard American without permission. MXM, SJ