In 1997, Dr. Thomas Reeves was interviewed by Our Sunday Visitor about his book, The Empty Church. During the course of the article, Tom indicated great dissatisfaction with the direction his own Protestant denomination was heading and mentioned that he had a lot of questions about Rome.

His comment led to a flood of mail and phone calls from concerned Catholics who all told him the same thing: “There are answers. Let us help.” In a matter of months, Tom and his wife were received into the Catholic Church.

I asked Tom to tell me how it all began. This is what he wrote.

I was an atheist for fourteen years, and I cherish the experience. It took place when I was a graduate student and a young professor of history. Most of my friends and colleagues were of a similar bent. And I had become persuaded through reading about the Enlightenment, witnessing the injustice and suffering endured by the human race and having had a bellyful of Christian hypocrisy that life was accidental and meaningless. We were alone in an indifferent universe, bearing the same significance as the ants and the flies.

Still, we had reason, and through education, I believed, man could elevate his sorry condition. Progress was possible, but only if ignorance and superstition of all sorts were eradicated. Like so many proud professors, I devoted my life to the indoctrination of young people. Endless and intensive study, I believed, would lead students to share my views. And when we all became secularists, materialists and liberals we would, having all the truth and leading reasonable lives, be happy together and contribute to the advancement of humanity.

I cherish this experience because I learned the difference between “progressive” rhetoric and reality. Pain is the best (often only) teacher, and it taught me during these years that personal happiness, peace and purpose are not to be found in the false gods of this world. My atheism left me pessimistic, scornful, bitter and wholly self-absorbed. I was a hateful person. By 1976, at the end of this period, my wife was seriously concerned about my mental and emotional state. As a student of history, I should’ve realized earlier that this is an old story.

The atheist has to invent his own truth, and the final product tends to reflect his appetites. It is futile to try to build strong relationships of love and respect on such a shifting and selfish basis. The atheist has to believe in a sense of historical progress that always falls short because it’s contrary to human nature. The secular crusades never bring personal satisfaction, for new perils always arise and every effort falls short. The atheist who believes in education as a panacea has to face despair at the condition of schools at all levels and is forced to ignore the sorry moral state of his most learned and highly credentialed colleagues. To the perceptive man or woman caught in this trap, all is futility and ultimate oblivion.

God called and I, by the power of His grace, responded. It took more than twenty years more to be led into the fullness of the faith: the One, Holy and Catholic Church. The experience has been like being led to safety and comfort from a burning building. There is relief and much thankfulness.

Jesus Christ came into the world to bring joy, peace, love and purpose. He and His Church tell us how to lead truly happy and productive lives and remind us that eternity, either with or without our Maker, awaits. Many people understand this from their youth. Others of us have taken a while longer. Perhaps the joy is even greater for the tardy.