Fr. Isidore Smith (1899-1952)

Once shortly before his death Father Isidore told one of the clerics who served his morning Mass that he had preached a lot of sermons on hope, but now that he was failing he realized that he put out a lot of good theory and now that at his present state of health he had to put his words into practice!  He was a noted speaker and retreat master so much so that when the scheduled Abbey retreat master could not make the opening conference because of a very late train, the abbot asked him to fill in for the opening conference.  Father Isidore was an expert in oratory and music.  When he was pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Atchison, he was professor of homiletics to the students in the Abbey School of Theology.  On his death Father Bede Bradley took over.

Father Isidore was born in St. Joseph, Mo.  Spent his childhood in Weston, Mo., entered St. Benedict’s Abbey and professed July 2, 1910.  He completed a Masters in Theology at St. Vincent Archabbey and was ordained May 25, 1916.  He taught Latin, oratory, voice, and violin at St. Benedict’s High School and College, was director of dramatics specializing is Shakespeare.  He was a pastor at St. Benedict’s, Kansas City, Kan., and at St. John’s, Burlington, Iowa, before becoming pastor at Sacred Heart Atchison.  He died at St. Margaret’s Hospital, Kansas City, Kan. on January 14, after suffering a stroke.