Christmas
2002
Author-artist makes the divine mystery accessible
What air is to the body, prayer is to the soul. That’s why
Jesus told us to pray unceasingly, according to Fr. Ed Hays, illustrator and
author of the best sellers Prayers for the Domestic Church and
Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim. Hays has made it his life work to help
pump the fresh air of prayer out to a wide audience. He has written 25 books on
prayer and spirituality for everyday living. “He makes the divine mystery
accessible to the ordinary person,” says Tom Turkle, Hays’
publisher.
In addition to his writing, Hays is known for founding a popular
house of prayer.
A parish priest in the archdiocese of Kansas City, Kan., in 1979
Hays approached his archbishop, Ignatius Strecker, asking for a three-month
sabbatical so he could spend some time praying. Instead, he was sent on a
yearlong prayer pilgrimage around the world -- to Rome, Jerusalem, India and
Tibet. On his return, Strecker asked Hays to open a house of prayer that would
be available to anyone in the diocese who desired a deeper prayer life.
The founding of this house of prayer named Shantivanam, which
means “Forest of Peace” in Sanskrit, took place in the midst of the
spirit of renewal after Vatican II. Shantivanam is located near Easton, Kan.,
an hour’s drive from the large urban center of Kansas City. “Saying
yes to this invitation to found a house of prayer was the most transforming
experience of my life,” Hays said. “Living in a community of prayer
with laypeople was a wonderful experience.”
Hays has published most of his books through Forest of Peace
Publishing, Inc., an adjunct of Shantivanam. His first, Prayers for the
Domestic Church: A Handbook for Worship in the Home, was published in 1979.
His latest is Prayer Notes to a Friend, published by Forest of Peace.
Hays is an accomplished artist. He illustrates his own books, with
whimsical drawings like the one on this week’s cover. There’s even an
Ed Hays screensaver available from Forest of Peace.
Hays spent many years in prison ministry in Leavenworth, Kan.,
home of the state prison, the U.S. Federal Penitentiary and the U.S. Military
Disciplinary Barracks.
Now retired, he divides his time between action and
contemplation.
“There is no one writing in Christendom today,” say
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, coauthors of Spiritual Literacy: Reading the
Sacred in Everyday Life, “who has so consistently, zealously and
creatively wed spiritual practice with imagination in ways that deepen and
enrich both our devotional life and everyday activities.”
-- Rich Heffern
National Catholic Reporter, December 20,
2002
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