Montini: A lawmaker legislates prayer? God help us

Many years ago, in the Catholic grammar school I attended, the nuns would lead us in prayer when something was misplaced. We'd seek help from St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost items.

Brothers and sisters, I’m asking you to bow your heads for a moment and join me in beseeching this same glorified soul to intercede on our behalf with the Arizona legislature.

Our lawmakers have lost their minds.

One of them, Republican House Majority Leader Steve Montenegro has decided that he has the authority to legislate prayer.

I know what you’re thinking: “Heaven help us.”

Or perhaps, “What the hell?”

Each applies.

Montenegro, in order to stave off any non-denominational non-deist invocations like those uttered in the past by Democratic Rep. Juan Mendez, has decreed that anyone who gives the daily invocation at the House must invoke the name of God.

He sent members a memo that reads in part: "Prayer, as commonly understood and in the long-honored tradition of the Arizona House of Representative, is a solemn request for guidance and help from God."

Montenegro’s press aide contends that this unholy demand is in keeping with all U.S. Supreme Court rulings. Mendez isn’t so sure.

Neither am I.

Nor am I convinced that a holier-than-thou politician should get to dictate to whom, or with what words, one must pray.

If I were back in grammar school – an institution of higher learning compared to the Legislature – the nuns would lead us first in a prayer to St. Francis of Assisi, for understanding, and then a prayer to St. Teresa, for patience. Then we would pray on behalf of our lawmakers to St. Augustine, to grant them some small measure of wisdom.

Now that I am older and have lived in Arizona for many years, I believe we should instead pray fiercely, ferociously – and with all our might – to St. Jude.

The patron saint of lost causes.