The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-09-01
WHY BELIEVE WHAT YOU CAM
NOT SEE?

l believe in the existence of God,
whom | do not see, just as l believe
in the existence of electricity, which
| do not see.
| believe that Jesus Christ is God.
although | never saw Him, just as |
believe that Napoleon was Emperor
of the French, yet never saw him.
| believe there is a place in France
called Verdun, although l never saw
it, just as | believe there is a place
in the next world, called Purgatory,
although | never saw it either
l believe that Christ founded the
Catholic Church, although | was not
present on that solemn occasion, just
as | believe our patriotic forefathers
founded the United States, although
was not present on that historic oc-
casion either.
| believe that Christ made st. Peter
the Head of His Church, even though
| did not see Him do it, just as | be-
lieve that the Continental Congress
made George Washington Comman-
der-in-C Chief of the Revolutionary
forces, although l did not see them do
it.
| believe that st. Peter, the first
Pope, lived and died in Rome, al
though l did not attend his funeral,
just as l believe that Julius Caesar
lived and died in Rome, although
did not attend his funeral either.
I believe that Pope Benedict XIV is
the legitimate successor of st. Peter
and the Vicar of Christ on earth, just
legitimate successor of George Wash
ington, and the President of the
United States.
l believe that st. Matthew, st.
Mark, st. Luke and st. John wrote
the four Gospels that bear their
names, although l did not see them
write them under the inspiration of
the Holy Ghost, just as I Believe that
Shakespeare, Moliere and Dante wrote
the works bearing their names, al
though l did not see them write them
either
l believe that Jesus Christ exists
really, truly and substantially in the
Holy Eucharist, although l cannot see
him with my bodily eyes, just as be-
lieve that ether waves exist all about
me, even though l cannot see them.
The birth, life, miracles, death and
resurrection of Christ are facts as
easily proved and just as clear, GER
tain and undeniable, as are the birth,
life, and death of Abraham Lincoln.
You cannot see your blood circu-
late, yet you have not the least doubt
of it, simply because physicians who
would not deceive you tell you it does.
So also you cannot see Heaven, yet
you believe it exists, because Christ,
the Son of God, who would not de-
ceive you, has told you it does.
We can only know from others the
facts of our birth and infancy, yet we
believe them absolutely, because our
parents would not practice deception
on us. So also we only know from
Almighty God, our beneficent Father,
the facts about the origin of the world,
and the human soul, and it's destiny,
but we believe Him absolutely, be-
cause truthful Father that He is, He
would not practice deception upon us,
The news in today's papers, with
an imposing array Of facts I did not
see, actually requires a greater strain
upon my belief than the facts record
ed in the Bible, which did not see.
Most of our knowledge comes, NOT
from personal observation and indi-
'vidual experience, but from the 'testi-
mony of others. The great majority
of the facts of every day life comes
to us from authority, not from sight.
1t is not at all necessary to see
things with our two bodily eyes to be-
lieve them. All that is required is a
truthful witness, able and willing to
inform us, and in religious matters we
have that competent and reliable wit
ness, namely, the Catholic Church,
founded by Christ Himself.
Req. T. f. CodkIep.