Natasha Fondren

I’m not convinced Pope Pius XI understood a writer’s business when he named St. Francis de Sales as the patron saint of writers.

St. Francis de Sales wrote some books, it’s true, but most novenas and prayers and intercessions concerning him involve greater faith, more constant faith, etc. This is one of his novenas:

O Blessed Francis de Sales, who in your mortal life did excel in all virtues, especially in love of God and of neighbor, I earnestly entreat you to take me under your immediate protection, to obtain from God my perfect conversion, and that of all sinners, especially of (the names of persons for whom you wish to pray should be mentioned here). Amen.

As I was shopping for my St. Jude candle, I came across a candle for St. Martin Caballero. St. Martin Caballero (aka St. Martin of Tours) is the patron saint of soldiers and France, but he also has a history of helping businesses and giving good luck. Consider his novena:

In the name of the most powerful God, Oh! Saint Martin. Remove the bad luck from my house. Give me good luck, work, and money. Oh Lord, tell your servant St. Martin, tireless and eager shepherd of souls, to raise his voice in this abyss where I find myself and protect me from all affliction and evil. I consecrate this day in memory of the pristine virtues of your holy priesthood (state your petition). Amen.

Is that not more appropriate to the writing business? Good luck? Work? Money?

I think so.

Do you have any lucky writing mugs? Good luck charms? Candles? Rabbit’s feet specifically for writing? Patron saints for your writing intercessions? Gods or Goddesses you pray to for help in your writing or your writing career?

I’m going to amend this post with some GREAT contributions by you guys.

Heather Dearly added A Student’s Prayer to St. Thomas Aquinas (note paragraphs 3-5):

Creator of all things
true source of light and wisdom,
origin of all being;
graciously let a ray of your light penetrate
the darkness of my understanding.

Take from me the double darkness
in which I have been born—
an obscurity of sin and ignorance.

Give me a keen understanding,
a retentive memory, and
the ability to grasp things
correctly and fundamentally.

Grant me the talent
of being exact in my explanations
and the ability to express myself
with thoroughness and charm.

Point out the beginning,
direct the progress,
and help in the completion.

I ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Bernita suggested “Ganesha, the elephant god, patron of arts, destroyer of obstacles, lord of success.”

Ottavina added: I think contemplative monk and writer Thomas Merton should be one of the go-to guys for writing. He’s not a saint, but he wrote this prayer that seems to fit the uncertainty of where one’s writing or one’s life may be going:

“MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end.Nor do I re ally know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”