Catholic Apologetics Online

Choose a topic from Vol 2:

God

Man

Religion

The Religion of the Bible

The Christian Faith

A Definite Christian Faith

The Protestant Reformation

The Truth of Catholicism

The Church and the Bible

The Dogmas of the Church

The Church and Her Moral Teachings

The Church in Her Worship

The Church and Social Welfare

Comparative Study of Non-Catholic Denominations

To and From Rome

PREFACE

The present volume is a continuation of the fascinating study of problems in religion that engage the attention of all thinking men. Those who have had the privilege of reading the first volume of Radio Replies, which proved so stimulating to Catholic and non-Catholic alike, will find in the present book a more comprehensive study and explanation of subjects that were presented in essential outline in the first volume.

The high motive that has dominated the author is the desire to share with others the treasure of truth that he himself has discovered from personal experience in the process of research in finding his way to the source of truth. Having sought to develop within himself those principles of religion that he had cherished in youth outside the Catholic Church, and finding them inadequate to satisfy all the promptings of his soul, he went through the bypaths that finally led him to the full vision of the personality, the truth and the love of the God-Man, a full vision to he found only in the Catholic Church.

While the topics discussed in his work are necessarily controversial because they were suggested by inquiries from millions of radio listeners all over the world during a period of more than ten years, the method of treatment is not controversial but expository with a view to presenting truth and principle in that objective and inherent value that will bring conviction to an open mind.

Only when men know all the truth that is to be known will they attain that consummate freedom that is based on the possession of all that the mind of man can and should know. While the soul of man instinctively longs for liberty he can never possess it unless he first acquires the knowledge that will enable him to recognize and cherish liberty. The limitation of the human mind that makes it possible for man to indulge in a thousand and one hypotheses concerning essential scientific facts does not permit him to doubt, and continue speculating as to the facts when they are already well established beyond question. When man has developed his knowledge to the point where he is conscious of the possession of truth he experiences a sense of achievement and security in the attainment of the objective that he has sought, and he is no longer disposed to wander afield in the futile adventure of learning whether there may be an order in which the contrary to truth may be acceptable.

In the field of religion the uncertainty and consequent liberty to speculate is due to the limitation of the knowledge of established facts; and only when man has sincerely considered the established facts will he cease from speculation and, by the elimination of his hypotheses in face of scientific facts, accept and enjoy the possession of the truth. There is nothing unscientific in the process by which a man adheres with profound conviction to the truth revealed by the Son of God and preserved in His Church for the temporal and eternal welfare of all humanity.

The exposition of the fundamentals that were involved in the inquiries sent to the author of this volume appeals to the sincerity of all who may find similar problems in their own soul. If the statement of facts may seem to hurt it cannot be attributed to any cause other than the sentiment of those who, in all sincerity, have continued to cherish the conviction that all was well until the physician announces the need of a major operation to save not the body but the soul of the patient.

The unity of the world in the field of human welfare will come only through the unity of the world in the recognition of truth that is basic in the development of human welfare, not only in terms of terrestrial happiness but in the intellectual and spiritual development that is essential to eternal happiness.

JOHN GREGORY MURRAY, Archbishop of Saint Paul

MORE FROM VOLUME 2

• About the Author
• Introduction
  - Rev. Charles Mortimer Carty
• Preface
  - John Gregory Murray
  Archbishop of Saint Paul
• Forward
  - Dr Leslie Rumble, MSC

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