(Extracted from The Messenger of The Two Hearts -June 2000)

Opposite him sat "Conchita", an olive-complexioned, dark-haired Spanish girl returning from a holiday in Ireland. Later he found that she had been improving her English in Dublin. Beside her, "Betty" a young good looking Welsh girl neatly dressed. She was accompanied by her mother, "Mrs. Jones". Beside him on his right, were two well-built Welshmen, one looked as if he was a farmer and the other possibly a businessman, "Robert" and "Wesley." On his left sat Michael's brother, John.

The journey began and already the usual deadly atmosphere was creeping in. "Wesley" was paging through his Digest. Conchita had settled back in her corner insulating herself from contact. Mrs. Jones had reached for a woman's paper and Betty was staring vacantly through the window.

Michael decided to begin. "Lovely day for travelling," he said to everybody but looked at Conchita. She smiled briefly, nodded her head and continued to lie back. Everybody grunted affirmatively.

"Going home from holidays? Did you have a nice time?" he quizzed.

"Yes, a lovely time," said Conchita, "except that the weather was not always kind. You do not have as much sun as we have in Spain."

"Oh, I'd love to go to Spain," said Betty.

"Do you speak Welsh?" Michael now addressed himself to Betty. "Oh yes, it is spoken widely at home." "Do you know the song Tra bionn pont on Awon Treffly?" Michael asked.

Betty's mother knew it and on being coaxed sang a verse or two. This was followed by another song, then an Irish one, then a discussion on folk music, on customs, on ghosts, fairies, the supernatural. Everybody was listening now and each contributed his story.

"The strangest story of supernatural intervention I know of is that of the Devil's attacks on the Cure d' Ars," said John and he proceeded to recount the strange narrative.

"Of course," said Michael, "the Catholic Church -I am a Catholic - teaches that there is such a person as the Devil and that he has certain powers. He can assume human shape. He is an enemy not to be underestimated. It would be even a greater mistake to overestimate him."

At the word "Catholic", Wesley had sat up bolt upright and immediately became anxious to participate.

"What I cannot understand," he boomed, is why with the great strength of the Catholic Church, you Catholics and the Pope of Rome don't prevent war."

"A good point," said Michael, "I agree with you that you have ground for criticism. Now what would you advise Catholics and the Pope to do?"

Wesley ignored the invitation and Michael continued: "Excuse me. I think you are hardly being fair. You blame Catholics for not doing something to prevent war but you will not suggest what they might do."

"You Catholics," said Wesley, "are intolerant. You are always stuffing your ideas down people's throats. The Catholic Church is always interfering with other people's beliefs. It does not live and let live."

"I agree with you completely." said Michael, "but before we go to talk on that subject I do think it is a pity that you should have accused the Church of doing nothing to prevent war when it has been doing a great deal. Read the history of the last war and of the Papal efforts to prevent it and to intervene during it. I still think it is a pity that you should not let us have your suggestions as to what more should be done. Now as regards the Catholic Church's efforts to stuff its ideas down people's throats I would agree if this is what you mean. The Catholic Church has the Great Truth - others have not. Catholics are 'on to a good thing', so good that they feel they must share it with others. They are impatient almost, in doing this, realising the value of their treasure. My complaint would be that they are not impatient enough. Think of it - we have something that can transform people's lives, affect their actions. Can you blame us, believing this as we do, if we get up on boxes, even on to the rooftops to talk of this glorious thing? Let me give you an example. Our Church teaches a doctrine -the Doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ. This doctrine among other things means that we must see Christ in one another -see God Incarnate in our neighbour. What a change this would effect in us if we believed this and practised it. I must see Christ in each person in this carriage and you must try to see Him in me. Think of two employers, one having this doctrine and the other not. One looks on his employees as animals only. Can he be blamed for treating them as animals? One sees God in each employee and tries to treat him accordingly," Michael continued to explain the doctrine simply -Our unity with Christ, our redemption through that unity, our membership one of another, our responsibility and soon.

When he stopped Betty broke the silence: "Well that is really wonderful. That is something. We have nothing solid like that in our church. She then told of how at an early age because of this vacuum she and her companions ceased to believe in God but of late she had become convinced that there must be something.

Michael asked if they would like to hear of the reason of Catholic devotion to Our Lady. He explained how she had been promised at the Garden of Eden, how the prophets have hailed the "Virgin and Child", the importance of her Fiat, (Her 'Yes' at the visit of Gabriel Ed.) when she spoke for the whole human race, for each one in the carriage. We could not dissociate ourselves from that Fiat. Then Christ had taken her body and said "This is My Body". He outlined the intimate relationship for nine months, for thirty years, the prophecy of Simeon the first miracle at Cana when she had thrust Him, before His time had come, into public life. Mary's friendship with Christ's friends, with the Apostles with the Magdalen, Her stand at the foot of the Cross. The wood of the Cross had not felt the nails, Mary had. Christ was crucified on her body. She felt the crown of thorns, the scourging, the weight of the cross, the nails, the spear, the mockery, the gambling for His cloak. But her work had not ceased with His death. The Apostles were there to be gathered around, to be told of His early days, to be sent out after the Holy Ghost had come upon them. She was there when they returned from their missions. She was there with Magdalen and John the Beloved Disciple. Her Assumption did not finish her work. God does not change. Her mission in time was to bring the Mystical Body to maturity in eternity.

During all this long discourse everyone in the carriage remained silent, attentive. The silence continued when he had concluded. Then Betty's mother spoke.

"How wonderful! How beautiful! It must be true. We need a mother."

Then she revealed that on infrequent occasions when she had been in Liverpool, she slipped into a Catholic Church and when no one was looking had lit a candle in front of the Madonna.

THE ADDED REFINEMENT

Nobody had noticed the time going and suddenly the outskirts of London appeared and bags were taken down, coats donned and the usual preparations made. At Euston everyone shook hands and exclaimed what a wonderful trip it had been-and that should have been the end of the story . But Our Lady had one little refinement to add.

Michael and John stayed in London for a shorter period than they had intended and decided to return the next day. Slowly the carriages filled up. There was one seat left in the carriage. When looking up they saw Betty and her mother looking in the window. They had not seen our pair but Betty was pointing out the vacant seat to her mother. Mrs. Jones left Betty and went down the coach to the door. Then Betty saw Michael and John and rushed in to shake hands enthusiastically. She said they had just been talking of the journey down and how enjoyable it had been. Her mother was now going home on her own and was lonely. They had just been talking of the improbability that our pair would be on the train and suddenly there they were.

The whistle blew, Betty kissed her mother, gave Michael and John a hearty handshake and sadly left the train. Doors slammed and the train moved out of the station gathering speed every moment.

When all had settled down in their seats Mrs. Jones leaned forward and said "Betty is going to become a Catholic and she has my blessing."

Michael began talking to the young teacher opposite him.

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