is quite essential for wholehearted work in the cause of God. Saint Paul was not married. He obviously recommended that all ministers of the Gospel remain unmarried in order to devote themselves wholly to the work of God. In fact, he positively states this: “He who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please God. Whereas he who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife” (1 Cor 7:32-33). There is no doubt that an unmarried clergyman who has no family ties, can imitate Christ more closely, can minister to people afflicted with contagious diseases better than a married one. He should be able to get along with less financial support.1
Mr. J. Those are strong arguments in favor of an unmarried clergy, and I fear that they are not weighed by most non-Catholics.
Father S. Some believe that it is impossible to live a chaste unmarried life. Catholics, who know the character and duties of the priesthood, heartily believe in a single life for the priest. The priest’s daily Mass and meditation, his other prayers, which take up over two hours’ time each day, should alone keep the priest close to God. The frequent “tippler” might find it difficult to let drink alone, but not the one who never tasted it. So it is with those who have always been single, but solemnly pledged to remain chaste.2
Mr. J. But so much literature represents the priest and nun as being anything but virtuous.
Father S. That is true, but it emanates either from professed enemies of the Catholic Church, or from men and women who find it financially profitable, on occasion, to attack the Catholic Church. Some years ago many self-styled ex-priests and ex-nuns toured parts of the country where Catholics are few. For instance, Maria Monk, Margaret Shepherd, Helen Jackson and Mabel McClish were never nuns, but rather had been wayward girls detained in reform schools conducted by Sisters, and who, when they were released, saw a chance to make a living by writing for and lecturing to that element which would believe any lie told about the Catholic Church. There have been priests who were untrue to their vow, just as there was a Judas among the twelve apostles, but they have been comparatively rare. Some present-day religions were started by ex-priests, who rejected their vows. You would not have any respect for the Catholic religion if it had such an origin.
You take this book and read over the first few lessons very carefully, then some night this week come back for your first instruction. On page 301 you will find certain prayers, some of which we should like to have you learn by heart. You need not commit them to memory at once, but read them every night as a night-prayer, and in a short time you will know them without much study.
It is important that you do some praying while taking instructions, because true faith is a gift of God3, which you must seek from Him by prayer. The Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles’ Creed practically came from heaven. That is why we want Catholics to know them by heart. The Lord’s Prayer was composed and taught to His followers by Christ Himself; the first part of the Hail Mary contains the words which the angel, as a messenger of God, addressed to Mary; also the words spoken to her by her cousin Elizabeth, speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit; and the Apostles’ Creed is the most ancient Christian profession of faith, which contains a summary of the chief truths taught by Our Lord through His Church.4 Hence we cannot improve on these three prayers. In addition, we wish our people to know some form of an Act of Faith, Hope, Charity, and Contrition.
Mr. J. I note that to nearly all public prayers said by clergymen, the congregation answers “Amen.” What does that mean?
Father S. The word means “So be it,” and expresses approval of and firm belief in the prayer said. But even the one who prays privately usually closes with that word.5
Be sure to ask me any questions that occur to you during your instructions. We have nothing to hide and would not receive you into the Church unless you could assure us that you are thoroughly convinced.
Mr. J. Well, Father, I am certainly much obliged to you for the information you have given me tonight, and I am looking forward to my first instruction.
Father S. Can you come on Tuesday night?
Mr. J. Yes, that will suit me.
Father S. But pray while you study. I want God to become especially interested in you, just as you, prompted by His grace, are beginning to become interested in Him.
Mr. J. I promise to do that.
Instruction 1
The fundamentals of the Christian Faith
Mr. J. Good evening, Father Smith. Here I am ready for our first session.
Father S. Good evening. Take a chair. Have you done any praying for Divine assistance, as I suggested?
Mr. J. Yes, I have prayed in my own way for God’s direction, and have committed to memory the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles’ Creed. I do not yet know those other forms called the “Acts.”
Father S. That’s good progress. Learn the “Acts” by reading them once a day. Of course, you could say them in your own words.
Mr. J. Will there be any special order to the instructions I shall receive?
Father S. Yes, there will be; otherwise you would never know when you were through. We shall relate our discussion (1) to matters of Faith; (2) to God’s laws or commandments; and (3) to the helps Christ provided for man’s salvation. Members of the Church must believe all Christ taught, observe God’s laws, and use the means of grace Christ instituted.
Mr. J. Well, as far as my instruction is concerned, you had better start at the very beginning.
Father S. Yes. I shall endeavor to give you as much information as possible during these instructions. Religion, like everything else, must have a foundation and the foundation of all religion is the recognition of a Supreme Being, belief in the existence of an almighty, all-holy, all-wise, all-merciful and just God.1 You believe in God, do you not?
Mr. J. Yes, Father; but I must admit that I take it for granted and I would have difficulty giving a reason why I do so. What are some of the most convincing reasons?
Father S. I’ll put them briefly. Of course, practically every page of the Bible speaks of God, but there are reasons apart from the Bible. Here they are:
1. The universe is governed by perfect laws. These laws are responsible for the ever-admirable order in the universe. There are billions of immensely large heavenly bodies, most of which move in space with almost lightning speed and also revolve round one another, yet there are no disorderly collisions such as we have with automobiles, for instance, despite traffic signals and State laws to control driving. Everything in the universe, except human beings, observes faithfully the laws imposed by the Creator. It would go badly with us if it were not so. But such laws did not make themselves. They imply a Law-Maker with a supreme intelligence that planned those laws and a supreme power that put them into effect.2
2. Belief in God is so natural that it has always been the universal conviction of mankind. All men are endowed with reason and the world about them is so manifestly dependent upon its Author that their minds almost instinctively rise to God.3 No rational man is a born atheist. To become an atheist, he must set himself apart from other men of all times and try to persuade himself that
