The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-01-12
Catholic Thought And Opinion
By REV. JOSEPH F. DONNELLY

many radio programs as b Franeks
''Panis Angelicus'.
Since the letter Of complaint. l1ow-
eYer, the Hour has featured beau
ttftll rendition OF holy God we
Praise Thy Name"
A MURDERER REPENTs
Last week Richard Reid IN his
column IN the Catholic News related
the story Of Donald FHearHl who Was
executed q few weeks ago for the
murder Of q Denver girl. When
he was brought to prison to await
execution the man represented tIm-
self as an atheist. said he knew
nothing Of religion and at he
had been to church but three times
In his life.
A week before he died, howeyer.
he received through the mail some
thoughts from the "AutObiography
Of the Little Flower" The next
day someone sent him copy Of
The Long Road Home" by John
Moody, convert and noted New York
financial expert. Shortly after
he received why Am Catho-
Ncs" written by six widely known
converts. Mr.. Eearn read the
books. and because they came from
the best friend Of the girl who had
been Tl1urdereds the convict was
deeply impressed and sent for the
prison chaplain, Father Albert
Schaller, o. 8. B.
Then, as Mr.. Reid continues:
Father Albert left Linn catechism
to read. The prisoner expressed
surprise at the logic Of Catholic
teaching. He was instructed fur.
ther, asked for Baptism on the day
before his execution and asserted
that he would not exchange his
newly acquired faith for his free
dom.
HE wondered why during the
course Of his education he had not
been instructed In religion. If he
had been the murdered girl would
undoubtedly still be living, and the
man in a rnurderer's grave would
probably be living q useful life. Nor
Is this an isolated case Of the fruit
Of education without religion"
AT U. OF G..
The Catholic church teaches that
the man is not truly educated who
has no training In religion. She
believes, with George Washington,
that religion and morality are in
dispensable supports" Of the ma.
TONS welfare and our Catholic peo-
pie bear tremendous financial
burden IN order that they might
maintain schools where their chill
dren may bet rained in both re-
ugion and morality. That their
position Is well taken, not
only from the point Of view Of re-
ligion but also from the point OF
view Of our country's welfare, has
been recognized on all sides by
thoughtful Americans In this crisis
of our country's existence.
The most recent tribute we have
happened on was spoken by Presi-
dent Robert G. Sproul Of the Uni
versity Of California at the dedica-
ton Of q Catholic club on the uni.
versity campus. $50 anxious have
our people been that their children
should not be subjected to undue
influence by secretarian religion:
zealots," he said, "that they have
practically eliminated all mentor
Of religion from schools and uni.
verSities under their control. The
institutions such as this (the New.
man Club being dedicated) help tx
fill up this vacuum as ahhorent K
nature as any vacuum. They are
therefore Indispensable, for with
OF religion man must substitute
weak conventions for permanent
values and abiding standards"
Conventions are poor props for the
nations welfare. Solid principles
and sound truths. are the pillars Of
permanence. Today all over the
country educators are paying trib-
ute to the stand Of the church. Re-
ligion has . very proper place In
education and the day Is not far
ahead when public opinion will de-
mand that the vacuum Of our
present educational system be
filled"