One of the many emails written by Fr Wathen from his sick bed before he died.  It's a great reminder to us all...


Dear Tom,
Our primary duty is not to despair at the moral condition of the world in general or the Church in particular nor at the prevailing ruthlessness and depravity around us but to see to ourselves.

To the extent we are what we ought to be, to the extent  that we respond to the Holy Ghost, all things in the world are better. It is not our position to assess the condition of our soul in the sight of God, anymore than it is within our capacity to determine how much good we are doing for anyone else. Our duty is to be guided by the voice of the Spirit within us. Our Lord said: "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all things to Myself" (John 12:32).

The Force which draws all men to the Heart of Christ is the Holy Ghost. In so far as the Grace of the sacred humanity of Christ courses through us and energizes and impels us, the world is less evil, the power of Satan is bridled and the conversion of souls increases.

We do not look to Rome for a "turnaround", we do not put our hope on the next pontificate, we do not scan the horizon for a saint to rescue the Church, to awaken the dazed and sleeping, to launch a great reform. The deliverance of the world and the restoration of the Church begin within our own souls, in true humility, in unshakable Faith, in confident prayer, in the love of God, which is the Grace of the Spirit. The Saint that God looks for to save the world is you.



-from book "I know Mine and Mine Know Me", a collection of Fr's emails.