The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-12-28
Catholic Thought And Opinion
By REV. JOSEPH r. DONNELLY

series Of causes Is no solution. for
T, no matter how far back we 20, re-
gardless Of the length Of the chain.
we have to admit somewhere q first
cause so great that 1t could give
existence not only to the one Inn
mediately following, but. through
that one, to all others still to fol-
low. The first cause must be either
infinite or finite; II IL is infinite, 1t
Is God; II 1t is finite, we have to adj
NIT some other being that puts
limits on 1t, and then our question
goes on back again to another first
cause.
OTHER REASONS
There can be no such thing as an
actually endless chain Of motion,
because somewhere In the chain
there must be q being capable Of
moving the entire thing just as a
train must have o locomotive that
pulls a series Of cars. Reason de-
mands q self.existent God q.
Likewise the order in creation de-
mands an intelligent Cause and
Guide.
Likewise If God did not exist, no
thing would exist, for every being
must either be without q beginning,
ie., infinite, or have q beginning,
lie. finite. If there Is no INFINITE Be-
ing, where and how did finite
things begin to exist? There must
therefore be an INFINITE, itntnutable,
completely Independent Being upon
whom everything else depends and
without whom nothing could exist
or act now.
GOD AND MODERN
KNOWLEDGE
HAS not modern knowledge des-
troyed the old belief In God?'
Modern knowledge has destroyed
nothing in the Catholic religion, but
rather emphasized the truth we
possess. Modern prejudice and mis-
information, however, have destroy
ed faith in many.
Are not the Churches dying
out?" Catholicity today Is bigger
than it was before the Protestant
Reformation. Her defeats every
where prove only temporary. Her
conquests go on increasingly. Africa
and the Orient today are adding
many thousands to her fold.
why do Nazis and Communists
perescute the Church?' For the
same reason that men of His day
crucified Christ. Because the
Church does not have the spirit of
this world and the world resents
that fact. 1t is uncomfortable to
have the Church around when one
wants to live adverse to Christian
law.
why are soldiers compelled to
go to Church?' They are in Eng
land. They are not in the Amer
lean army. Adults should not be
forced by civil law to practice re.
ligion; children should be made to
go to Church by their parents for
their training.
CHRIST AND PRAYER
Was Jesus Christ God OH
earth2" Yes; He is both God and
man with two natures existing in
the one person; He claimed Divin-
ity and was put to death as a
blasphemer because Of that claim,
which He nevertheless proved by
His miracles, His holiness Of life,
His teachings, His fulf1llment Of
prophecy, and His own prophecies
later fulfilled. especially His Resur-
rection.
"Is prayer any use?" 1t is Of such
use that without salvation Is i'm
possible. Furthermore, everyone who
uses it regularly would gladly testify
to its power in his personal prob
lens.
WHY GO TO CHURCH?
Can a man live o Christian life
without going to church," No. un-
less attendance is physically I'M
possible. Man is social animal and
Is bound to engage in social worship
as well as private worship. Exper-
fence shows that only by the cul-
tivation Of church going can q man
be kept religious. We must not for
get also that Catholicity operates
by supernatural life and power, that
is, by grace, and that without grace
we cannot practice Catholicity. We
get this grace through prayer and
the sacraments and a great deal of
1t comes from Church attendance
and the practices that we normally
engage in only in Church.
The men In the forces supplied
these questions. The editor men,
toned above supplied the answers.
We are sure that some will COM
ment both favorably and unfavor-
ably. We. would like TO hear many
comments, and some from those
who have other answers for the
questions or questions for the ans
wers.