She was afraid of nothing and always told me, “Kitten, there is nothing to really fear except sin and the devil.” She only finished Grade 4 but was an avid reader, reading far into the night, then saying all the prayers from her big prayer book with the velvet cover.

By Molly Keene Smith

The words above were written by my grandmother (Annie Mae Lanham Clarkson) sometime in the 1970s. She was writing about her own grandmother, Mary Isabelle Logsdon Lanham (born in Washington County, KY in 1860 – died 1928). What a beautiful image her description brings to my mind as I envision Mary Isabelle reading her well-worn prayer book late into the night by the light of the fire.

Consistent, regular prayer is vital for our spiritual growth. We know that we need that daily conversation with the Lord to fill our hearts and our souls with the nourishment they require. Finding the time to make it happen as we navigate our busy lives, however, is sometimes a challenge. Hoping to provide a convenient, readily available option for daily prayer, the Archdiocese of Louisville has created a new page “Faithful in Prayer” on the Archdiocese of Louisville website.

As demanding as our schedules are these days, this is nothing new. Certainly those who have gone before us led lives that were difficult and demanding, filled with hard work and long days, usually from dawn to dusk. In her writings, my grandmother went on to detail Mary Isabelle’s busy days as a wife, mother, seamstress, cook, housekeeper, and another unofficial part-time job she held.

She was doctor and nurse for the entire neighborhood – walking alone over the countryside in the darkest night – delivering babies without the assistance of a doctor. In one instance she was having difficulty. She knew a doctor was on down the road (he had refused this case – “no money”). She watched for him to return and went out, standing in the middle of the road, and caught his horse’s bridle. She stopped him and informed him if he didn’t come to her assistance, she’d see that everyone in the county heard about it. He quickly complied, and all was well with both mother and child.

This account of Mary Isabelle’s advocacy for the mother in labor inspires me every time I read it. I am in awe of her determination and commitment to helping those in need. Though I doubt any of us will ever have an experience quite like the one above (thank goodness!), we too are called to serve others. The “Faithful in Prayer” page provides a unique opportunity to do this through the sharing of our prayer intentions. Intentions and prayer requests submitted by the faithful throughout the Archdiocese are posted on the page. Please pray for them. Submit your prayer intentions so that others may pray for you as well. In addition to the staff of the Archdiocese and visitors to the page who offer to pray for those who submit intentions, the Trappist monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, Kentucky also will be praying for these prayer requests. What power there is in prayer!

We hope you will take a few minutes each day to visit the “Faithful in Prayer” page. Pray the daily prayer and reflect on the daily readings. Listen to the devotional music. Pray for the intentions listed and offer up your own needs so that others may pray for you. Read about the saint of the day. What a beautiful way to start your day or even end your day, perhaps reading far into the night.

You are encouraged to visit the “Faithful in Prayer” page here >

Molly Keene Smith is Director of the Archdiocese of Louisville’s Office of Mission Advancement.