 | 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
2013-03-25 13:58:05
God's existence
A-You can find in the Bible any idea you wish, including the statement: "There is no God!" But in the context that statement reads: "The fool says in his heart: there is no God." The Bible contains the Word of God, God's messages and the expression of his Will for mankind and individual human beings. This very world, indeed the whole universe, is filled with evidence for the existence of a god, and that apart from the Bible or any written testimony or revelation. But since many people deny the existence of God, it is necessary to point out some of the proofs, evidence that we take for granted. The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw each human being to himself. Rightly does the psalm in the Bible call the person, who would deny the existence of God, a fool. The person who denies God is like a blind person, who denies the existence of the sun or of color because he cannot see them. But his denial does not make the sun any less hot or color less vivid.
In the physical world: the order and beauty of the universe evidence a Creator. As the poet Joyce Kilmer wrote about a hundred years ago: "Only God can make a tree." What human person can design and create a living tree from scratch? The movement of the planets around the sun, the almost infinite number of galaxies in the universe, the regular succession of seasons and days, and process of generation in plants and animals and humans: all these cannot happen by mere accident or chance. The development and perfection of the human organism, especially our brain, as well as the order and progress in human learning and society: cannot be the result of some blind irrational force, like a big-bang. The original big-bang itself had to come from somewhere, from someone. If there were no God, this whole universe would quickly collapse in chaos. We can view the products of irrationality in wars and vandalism and after a tornado. Those phenomenon cannot produce a detailed masterpiece like a symphony of Beethoven, or a beautiful building like our nation's capitol in Washington, or Leonardo DaVinci's Mona Lisa, or the works of Shakespeare, or the contents in the Library of Congress. Only a rational being can produce something so lovely as these and other works of human genius. And from where did humans receive such genius? Ultimately, from another and a supreme Genius, which we call God.
A lot of work and effort and energy and talent goes into producing this newspaper. No irrational animal or dog or fish or bird or plant can put together this journal. Only human beings, endowed with the ability to think and write and collaborate and operate delicate machines, can accomplish such a marvel as this very journal you are reading. The persons, who made this paper, did not make themselves. Neither did the trees, from whence came this paper, make themselves. It all goes back to the First Cause of all things, which we call God.
Perhaps the best definition of God is that given by the ancient philosopher Aristotle: The unmoved Mover. God is He Who sets in motion everything that exists. God is without beginning or end. God is perfect in Himself, absolutely different from any of his creatures. Being infinite Goodness, He created other things and human beings: in order to share himself and his goodness with others in varying degrees. God has no need of anything or anyone. He loves everything that he has made. He allows imperfections in his creatures: to encourage them to strive for perfection, to come to Him, Who is the summit of Perfection.
Since this is God's world by title of creation, and we humans are his creation, placed in this world for a short time, it behooves us to cooperate with our Creator in his plan for us. He requires of us: faith in Him, the Supreme Being, and using well our natural talents for the improvement of this world.
