Finale 2006
 

far from destroying, proves her doctrine?

In order to attack it, they should have protested that they had made every
effort to seek Him everywhere, and even in that which the Church proposes
for their instruction, but without satisfaction. If they talked in this
manner, they would in truth be attacking one of her pretensions. But I hope
here to show that no reasonable person can speak thus, and I venture even to
say that no one has ever done so. We know well enough how those who are of
this mind behave. They believe they have made great efforts for their
instruction when they have spent a few hours in reading some book of
Scripture and have questioned some priests on the truths of the faith. After
that, they boast of having made vain search in books and among men. But,
verily, I will tell them what I have often said, that this negligence is
insufferable. We are not here concerned with the trifling interests of some
stranger, that we should treat it in this fashion; the matter concerns
ourselves and our all.

The immortality of the soul is a matter which is of so great consequence to
us and which touches us so profoundly that we must have lost all feeling to
be indifferent as to knowing what it is. All our actions and thoughts must
take such different courses, according as there are or are not eternal joys
to hope for, that it is impossible to take one step with sense and judgment
unless we regulate our course by our view of this point which ought to be
our ultimate end.

Thus our first interest and our first duty is to enlighten ourselves on this
subject, whereon depends all our conduct. Therefore among those who do not
believe, I make a vast difference between those who strive with all their
power to inform themselves