St. Patrick Catholic Church - Rockford, Illinois – September 1, 1965

My Dear Reverend Fathers,

Thank God I found TRUTH when it was still untarnished—the one TRUE, UNIVERSAL, APOSTOLIC CHURCH of Christ. There was not a facet of this beautiful truth explained that did not impress one with all the grandeur and beauty which was the greatest proof of being Christ’s own Church—only a loving God could ever have thought of it.

Unlike my past gropings, there was no choice of what I could believe. It had to be all Catholic or not at all—in ceremony and creed—for such represented the fullness of Christ’s teachings, as He has never left a choice of what we were to believe and practice.

It is a psychological truth that when outward expressions of inward sentiments are eliminated, it will tend to strangle and ultimately destroy those sentiments themselves. Postures, beauty, the awesome rites of our Traditional Mass were ripe fruits of nineteen centuries of the experiences and strivings of the human soul to articulate its love and devotion to its God and Savior. It summed up man’s complete dependence on his God, body and soul, in his adoration, worship, and reverence which in all justice is due Him as our Creator.

“To Me every knee shall bend,” says our Lord. How many of these gestures are already eliminated in the Mass today, and now we are asked to express our thoughts about the manner of receiving Communion, our Blessed Lord Himself. I can only wonder: do we still believe in the REAL PRESENCE? What would be our attitude if our Lord suddenly revealed Himself in full splendor and glory before coming to us in such an intimate manner?

If we truly treasured this UNSPEAKABLE GIFT OF GOD, we would not have to ask ourselves in what manner we should receive Him, nor would we have allowed the other desecrations that aim to destroy His divinity.

Sincerely,

A Faithful Catholic, Helen Howell