Pray Like Hell

Drew Hardesty

29 Oct 2025 — 1 min read

The writer Brian Doyle writes occasionally about times when he gets down on his knees and prays like hell. He's an unapologetic Catholic and makes no excuses for Catholicism, but when he says Pray Like Hell, I think he means it.

And so I will do this, and pray like hell for my friend opting in to hospice care. I'll pray to the universe, to the Great Conductor, the Great Maestro...to my friend's husband, their children, their families and, really, to anyone who'll listen and maybe even some who won't. So thank you, gentle reader.

With eyes closed, hands clasped, I pray for comfort, I pray for peace, and I pray for grace, and, when she's ready, I'll pray for Transcendence. Which should be easy because she has always been transcendent anyway. And last, I want to grieve but I also want to transform that grief into gratitude. And hope. Hope that the memory of this transcendent human being will be with us always.

And so, Amen.

Thanks to Brian Doyle and his Book of Uncommon Prayer.

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