Not on the front pages, where crime gets first place for readers’ attention, nor in the society columns, but hidden behind fine numbers in the stock market columns is the fact that religious books are good for business.

They are also providing light for those who walk in darkness. According to Dan O’Neill, the editor for a collection of stories by contemporary converts to Catholicism, “The New Catholics,” there is an Oxford movement afoot in America, drawing many converts to churches, including the Catholic Church.

The book begins with the story of John Cort, a graduate of Harvard College, noted writer and member of the Peace Corps, whose conversion took place during his undergraduate days at Harvard when he was inspired by Plato’s writing, particularly by the “ Apology of Socrates”  before the court that condemned him, and even more so by “ Phaedo,” the final discussion with his friends on the day of execution.

After asserting that the soul exists independently of the body, that it is immortal, that there is a heaven for the good, and hell for the bad, Socrates states, “...when the foolishness of the body will be cleared away, we shall be pure and hold converse with other pure souls, and know of ourselves the clear light everywhere, and this is surely the light of truth.”

Kind of reminds us of St. Paul, or a homily on death in any one of our churches.  Blow away the dust of centuries, and we find the same questions our people are pondering on their way to the supermarket, or while dangling a fishing pole over the side of a boat.

Although Cort was blessed with learned, even in some instances, religious-minded professors, his search was, as for every pilgrim, a lonely experience.

One night, while studying in his room, he decided, “I will be a rationalist.  I will believe what is clearly evident to my reason and I will not believe what is not clearly evident.”

As dawn broke, he took a book and sat outside on a bench, where he would have remained had a friend not come by on his way to early Mass at the Anglo-Catholic monastery nearby.

Cort accompanied him and found in the simple service an experience beyond the power of reason.

With all his studies, it seems ironic that the turning point of Cort’s conversion to Catholicism was found in an article by J. Pohle, a Jesuit professor of dogmatic theology at Breslau University, found in “The Catholic Encyclopedia.”

Cort says he is very happy in his Roman Catholic faith.  His only regret is to see some of his fellow Catholics going through difficult times now, some even losing their faith.

To them, Cort gives this advice: “I’ve been where you are heading and, believe me, you wouldn’t like it.”

While he grants that the church should be more democratic and respectful of the right to dissent in doubtful things, he goes on to say, “Let us cling to our unity in essential things.... in all things love. Then, in the words of the song, “We can work it out, we can work it out.”  With the help of God.

Altogether, 17 converts tell their stories in “The New Catholics,” including Dan O’Neill himself, who converted from the Assembly of God Church.  Later, he became acquainted with Cherry Boone, the eldest daughter of Pat Boone, the entertainer, whom he married and helped on her way to Catholicism. 

          There’s an old saying, “Tell me what you are reading, and I will tell you what you are becoming.”  How true this is of those converts who put aside so many things to follow their heart’s hunger for God.  True it is of our converts of today in every parish, who will be baptized on Easter Sunday.  Welcome, one and all, Brothers and Sisters!  Amen.

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