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314 GO PREACH THE GOSPEL CHAPTER 40
communications media, or by the addressing of public
meetings. But, in fact, the approach becomes the less effective
according as it loses the personal touch. If conversions
depended on the reaching of people in bulk by means such as
the above, the present age of technology should also be one
of conversions on a grand scale. But, instead, it is found
difficult to keep even the Catholic fold intact.
No! The approach to be really effective must be an
individual and intimate one! The media can be made to play
an awakening or supporting part in a scheme to bring those
“other sheep” to the Good Shepherd, but the centre of that
scheme must be the appeal of one person to another person.
According to the laws that rule the spiritual world, as Bl.
Frederick Ozanam puts it, the attraction of one soul is needed
to elevate another. In other words the law of charity must
operate; and the gift without the giver is bare. But only too
often does the individual Catholic assume an attitude of
helpless ness. He may think that many outside the Church are
too firmly rooted in prejudices and in ignorance to be moved.
Admittedly, prejudices are many, traditional, almost inborn,
and hardened by education. What resources would the
Catholic have to deal with such a situation? He need not fear.
He possesses in the doctrine of the Church, however simply
explained, a shining sword whose efficacy is best described in
Bl. John Henry Newman’s noble words: “I have an intense
feeling in me as to the power and victoriousness of truth. It
has a blessing from God upon it. Satan himself can but retard
its ascendancy; he cannot prevent it.”
But also he must remember another principle to which he
must not prove false: “Truth in combating error never grows
angry. Error is never calm in contending with truth” (De
Maistre). As has been repeatedly urged in these pages, the
approach to those whom it is desired to win must be like to
that which the Divine Shepherd would make in such a search.
There must be nothing of the controversial, nothing
overbearing. Every word must breathe humility, affection,
sincerity. And actions as well as words must show forth one
essential thing, that they are backed by a genuine belief. Then
they will seldom be seriously resented and will never fail to
leave a deep impression, which will ripen in a high
proportion of cases to conversion.