John Hugh O'Donnell

“ Materialism builds a bleak world of totalitarianism in which man exists for the state, and not the state for man as man's agent for the protection of God's gifts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is the world of state-ism—the world of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Communist Russia.
But there is hope for Russia, and the hope is Mary who at Fatima, in Portugal, in 1917, asked for the consecration to her Immaculate Heart and for Communion of reparation on the first Saturday of each month. ”

“ We shall become more God-minded in a world that has grown atom-minded. By occasional meditation on other-worldliness we can bomb ourselves out of concentration on this-worldliness.
This, in brief, is what faith teaches us. And from this faith flows a radiant hope that gives us a true perspective of the "glory and blessedness of the things to come." As Monsignor Ronald Knox says in God and the Atom: "Where there is belief in God's existence, there must be belief in His assistance as well; hope is the natural food of faith." ”

“ There is hope for the world, now torn by a basic conflict between the forces of God and the forces of anti-God. On the one side are those who believe in God the Creator. They accept the natural law which has its source in God the Supreme Lawgiver. They recognize as flowing from that law the natural rights of persons; and they acknowledge the inherent dignity and integrity of the human person because of God-given rights. On the other side are the forces of materialism which see man as an animal knowing neither God nor basic morality. ”

“ If we evaluate the things of this life in the light of the life to come, as faith teaches, a radiant hope will follow, a hope that will enable us to accept with a Christlike spirit whatever this life may bring so that it will put to flight every thought of disappointment and despair. The measuring rod of this hope is eternity. And we turn to Mary, our hope glorified, for the necessary help and strength. ”

“ Perhaps we think of religion in the morning and evening, but for the rest of the day, and of the week as well, it is muted—except for an hour on Sunday. I do not suggest that we wear our religion on our coat lapels as we go into the market place, or to the bridge table, because that is the way of the Pharisees and Sadducees. ”

“ Different nations will be destroyed, but in the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and she shall be converted, and an era of peace will be granted to humanity. ”

“ But the General forgot to add that on Colonel Henebry's plane were lettered the words "Notre Dame de la Victoire"—Our Lady of Victory—and that in the cockpit was a medallion of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Only God and His Blessed Mother know how many boys had recourse to her during the war. She was their hope, their strength, and their unfailing comfort. In the light of their example, who are we to be discouraged in this troubled period? ”

“ Consisting usually of an address, mainly expository, by one or another of America's leading Catholic preachers—though sometimes of talks by laymen, sometimes of dramatizations—and of sacred music provided by a volunteer choir, the Catholic Hour has distinguished itself as one of the most popular and extensive religious broadcasts in the world. An average of 100,000 audience letters a year, about twenty per cent of which come from listeners of other faiths, gives some indication of its popularity and influence. ”

“ That catch phrase is nonsense. It is defeatist; as a matter of fact, it is pagan. No generation has ever been lost since Christ redeemed man on Calvary—unless its members made up their minds that they wanted to be lost. ”