August 9, 1950

Praised be Jesus Christ!

The power of prayer

      I have heard so often people say that prayer has never helped them. Then I tell them how often I felt the direct answer to my prayer.

      When I was in South America I received a letter from my parents telling me that my dear grandmother was totally blind. This grieved me for my grandmother had been so very good to us children. I began to pray to our dear Lord to give her at least so much sight that she might be able to find her way and help herself. And really after about a half year I received a letter from my parents saying that my dear grandmother's sight was gradually returning. I continued my prayer and after a brief space I received another letter saying that grandmother had her full sight again, and could find her own way and help herself. I felt certain the good Lord had heard my prayers and I did not fail to thank Him for it. You know so many pray for gifts from God and when they receive them they fail to say "Thank you". An example or this is given in the Bible. lO Lepers were healed but only one to thank God that he had been made whole. Certainly a powerful example for us.

      Now I have another story for you. The son of good friends of our family had entered the Redemptorist seminary. While he was studying there the family moved to Topeka Kansas. He must have been in his third year I think when his mother had a severe heart attack and the doctors held out small hope for her. The seminarian had a letter from his father who was greatly perturbed. The family had a child that was an imbecile. He was now 20 years and could not help nor walk nor help himself in any Way.

      The seminarian wrote to me and told us the conditions of things at home and how distressed his father was. I felt so sorry for them that I pleaded with God to let the mother live for the sake of that helpless child. I went to church and started a novena to our Blessed Mother of Perpetual Help. Begging Our Blessed Mother to let the mother live as long as the helpless child. I finished my novena in the firm hope that my prayers would be answered. And it was. The mother recovered and lived a few years more. The child died during that time. That certainly was an answer to prayer. Now don't think that I am so good at prayer. I just trust in the words of our Lord "Ask and you shall receive" Pray that you enter not into temptation. When I look back over the years that have gone by and remember the misery and grief and sorrow that came in their wake that one hardly knew what to do. The best thing I found was the reception of the sacraments and in them I found peace and happiness. I am speaking from my own experience. The dear God bless you and all the Sisters and my dear daughter Sister Thomas Marie and Mary Aileen.

Greetings from father and mother and Katharine and the Lang Family