To Fray is to be in Touch With Reality

Fr. Havenman, a Dutch priest, who was imprisoned by the Japanese for several years during the war lectured on Spiritual Responsibility.

His lecture postulated the three ways of knowing God: natural, dogmatic and mystical theology. Natural theology, the study of God as He manifests Himself in His creation, and dogmatic theology, the study of God in Revelation and in the doctrine of the Church are natural complements to mystical theology, the experiences of prayer and contemplation.

For the development of the mature man, the man that is, who is constantly in touch with reality; whose knowledge of the reality God gives point to merely useful knowledge, these three ways of knowing God are necessary. As students we have a responsibility to be spiritually mature because from such spiritual maturity will grow the desire to increase further in the love of God and the desire to inform others of His truths.