 | Father Richard James Cleary was born and reared in Wichita. After graduation from Cathedral High School in 1947, he attended the seminary operated by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey in Northwestern Missouri. There he came to appreciate the life of the monks and, having obtained the permission of Bishop Mark Carroll of Wichita, he became a monk of that monastery. After being ordained a priest in 1955, his superiors sent him to get his master’s degree at the University of Ottawa, Canada, then to study in Athens, Greece, and then in Rome, Italy, where he obtained his doctor’s degree in Theology. Finally, he spent a year of study at Harvard University. Later, Fr. Cleary was assigned to teach for many years in Rome. In 1998, he returned to Wichita, where he served in parish ministry at St. Mary’s Cathedral and at Blessed Sacrament parishes. In 2001, his abbot (superior) transferred him to Arkansas, where he served as chaplain of the Benedictine Sisters of Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro, and helped in the parishes of northeast Arkansas. In March 2010, he was re-assigned to his monastery, Conception Abbey, Conception, in Missouri 64433. He can be contacted there at, 660-944-2877, or by email: rjcleary@juno.com. |
Religion
2003-12-01 08:41:00
Is this like Sodom and Gomorrah, or what?
: It seems as though there has never been a time when the world was further removed from God than at present, unless it was prior to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, but we're almost at that point now it seems. What universal message needs to be given to mankind, and what can each of us do to get us back on track?
ANSWER: This lament has been stated in every generation of recorded history. And it will continue to resound until the end of time, or so long as there are human beings endowed with free will. The faculties of intelligence and free will are what distinguish human beings from animals. They are gifts from God, Who always realized that His human creatures would abuse these gifts. Therefore God gave us also external guides for the correct use of his gifts. These guides are: 1) natural law inscribed in the soul of each person, which expresses itself in conscience; 2) positive commands and examples written in the books of the Bible, which God Himself inspired; 3) the instructions of good and holy teachers, whose lives are ordered towards God; 4) positive warnings about the dire consequences of abusing these gifts, along with secure promises of present and future rewards for using well these gifts.Plenty of books and journals as well as the daily news reports testify to the corruption of mankind and the evils done by so many people, who live without reference to God. At the same time there is much good in this world. Many people use their intelligence and free-will in a worthy manner, and order their lives towards God. Many people live virtuous lives, worshiping God regularly, and helping their poor and sick neighbors, in whom they recognize the image of God. In the course of history each generation seems to improve a bit on the preceding generation. For example, the wicked practice of human slavery has been legally abolished in almost every country on earth. The practice of justice is much improved in our times over the injustices of former ages.Now, more than in earlier times, many persons are concerned about improving the health and living conditions of less-fortunate people in various parts of the world. In most parts of the world the rights and freedoms of individuals are officially guaranteed by laws. In spite of numerous and barbarous civil wars around the world, peoples and nations are coming together, striving for some kind of consensus and agreement in regard to the numerous problems and evils still afflicting the human race. There is also an increasing awareness of and appreciation for animals and plants and minerals and even for the entire universe. The catastrophe of September 11 demonstrates the terrible evil in the souls of some fanatics, who are alienated from the true God and who attempt to justify their destruction of lives and human achievements in the name of a deity, whom they imagine to be as capricious as their evil leaders and approving of their crimes. That catastrophe demonstrates also the goodness and virtues of many more persons, who have generously given themselves and their property to help alleviate the terrible suffering caused by those fanatics.In the Bible: the Old Testament books of Job and Daniel and the New Testament book of Revelation were written expressly to console the suffering people of God, and to assure the reader or listener that in the end: Good will triumph over Evil. This is God’s world! Even with all it’s evils and imperfections, which He foresaw, God pronounced His work of creation to be good.
