Andrew Dunn: An Irish Story

The Remarkable Narrative of Andrew Dunn's Conversion by Reading the New Testament

Andrew Dunn was educated a Roman Catholic, and continued till he was about forty years of age, like his neighbors, taking for granted that everything his clergy told him was true. He was a shrewd, sensible man; but his sagacity, till this time, had been exercised merely on the affairs of this world. About the age of forty he began to think of the Gospel of Christ and his own ignorance upon the subject, and he determined to make some inquiries in a matter upon which the salvation of his soul turned.

Accordingly he went to Father Dominick, the priest of his parish, and told him that he wished to have a little conversation with his reverence. "Well, Andrew," said his reverence, "what have you to say to me?" "Why, please your reverence, I have been thinking for some time back that though I can strike a bargain well enough with a neighbor, I am nearly as ignorant about the Gospel as a horse or a cow, and this I do not think becoming in me. Will your reverence be so kind as to put me in the way of getting some knowledge in this matter?" "Why," answered he, "Andrew, I never missed you at confession, nor at Mass, and you are a very honest fellow; what more do you want than this?" "Why, then, sir, to tell you the truth, if any one was to ask me why I am a member of the Catholic Church I could not tell him, unless I was to say that my father was so before me, and this, with submission, I think a very foolish reason." "But don't you know, Andrew," replied his reverence, "that you belong to the Holy Mother Church, and that there is no other true Church, and that all who do not belong to her communion are heretics, and will be damned?" "I have often," said Andrew, "heard your reverence say as much in the chapel; but, with submission, may I make bold to ask your reverence how you know all this?" "Andrew, you are the first of my flock who ever dared to ask me such a question, and I do not understand such liberties! However, your question is easily answered. I know it, because the Church says so."