The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-16


Rev Father Valentine, a member Of
the Passionist order, began last night
in st. Peters cathedral, Il series of lec-
lures addressed to non-Catholics and
designed to give them an intelligent
idea of some of the fundamental doc
trines of the Roman Catholic church.
The church was three-uuarters full
last night and about half of those pres
ent were not of the Catholic faith
These came, in number of instances
with Catholic friends, though there
We're many who came alone. Father
Valentine opened the service with the
recitation of u prayer for divine guild
ance, in which he asked all present to
join in their hearts.
He explained that his primary object
in giving the lecture is not to prose-
lytize, but rather to give an oppor-
tunity for honest men and women to
learn the truth about the Catholic
church from an accredited source, and
to eradicate from the minds of we'll
intentioned ProtestantS some Of the
false notions and absurd ideas which
they have been led to believe by alleged
''eX-priests' and ESCAPED nuns
Nature Of His Talks.
He stated that he was absolutely con-
vinced of the truth of everything that
the Catholic church teaches, and that
during the lecture he would feel obliged
to condemn Professionalism on principle.
He would not condemn Protestants
however, realizing that every PERSONS
religious beliefs are largely matter of
birth and would speak to them in u
spirit of love and Christian charity.
He has made the conduction of mis-
sions to non-C Catholics his life-work, he
said, because he believes it to be his
duty to spread what he believes to be
the truth to all the world. He urged
everyone attending the lectures to
write out any question regarding the
church that they may choose and drop
the same in the box provided at the
door. No one need have any fear of
offending him by any question, he said,
and the more Il person believed that q
question would give offense. the more
he wanted that person TO write that
question out. A certain portion of the
time each night will be devoted to an
swering these inquiries, he said.
After the singing of Nearer, My God,
to Thee" by all present Father Valen-
tine read the thirteenth psalm and then
delivered the sermon of the night,
taking for his theme, You Cannot Be
Happy Without Religion. Why" 1t
was largely a discourse to be used as
IL base for the future lectures, and no
especial reference was made in it to
any of the particular teachings OF the
Catholic church.
The speaker sought to show that life
is not worth living unless there is a
belief in a God and in a hereafter. If
there is nothing more in life, he said,
than can be found by the aid of reason
alone, then the only reasonable and
logical thing for every human being to
do would be to commit suicide. Re-
lision and all that goes with it, he de-
clared, are the only things which make
men really happy.
Religion Is the Power.
If there was no moral law and no
realization of God and a hereafter on
the part of the great masses of people
in this country, he said, there would be
terrible things done, because in his
opinion the masses are not fairly dealt
with by the few, and the laborer in
every walk of life is underpaid. Re-
ligion is the only power which holds
things as they are.
The only things that make life worth
living, he said, are a belief in God, a
faith in Him and hope of dwelling
eternally with Him born of that faith.
The world is bad enough, in spite of
religion. he said, but it would be aw-
full beyond imagination without it. The
Christian religion, he said in conclu-
sion, is the only thing on earth which
buoys up the soul and lifts it up untn
it is able to obtain foretaste of the
joys of heaven.
After the sermon there was benedic-
tion of the Most Blessed Sacrament and
Father Valentine explained briefly to
those present just what this ceremony
means to Catholics The Catholic
church teaches, he said, that Jesus
Christ is really and actually present in
the flesh in the sacrament of the altar
and when the Catholics bow their
heads when the sacrament is raised
aloft it is to do honor to the Savior of
mankind. He urged the non- Ca tholics
present to make silent conditional
prayer during the ceremony praying
Christ, If He was really present, to
help them to an understanding of the
truth.
The subject of tonight lecture will
be 'Sacerdotal Celibacy; or Why
Priests do not Marry"