To all Catholic Members of Parliament

An anecdote about Hilaire Belloc, the great Catholic journalist and member of the British parliament, from Brother Anthony Joseph's website The Angelus.

In 1904 he joined the Liberal Party and became the candidate for South Salford, near Manchester. Before the election of 1906, the first rally of his campaign was in a Catholic school-hall packed with people from all classes of society-mainly Protestants. The Catholic clergy present and his campaign manager warned him not to damage his chances of election by mentioning his religion. He rose to his feet and said:
Gentleman, I am a Catholic. As far as possible, I go to Mass every day. This (taking a rosary out of his pocket) is a rosary. As far as possible, I kneel down and tell these beads every day. If you reject me on account of my religion, I shall thank God that He has spared me the indignity of being your representative!

After a shocked silence there was a thunder-clap of applause

Belloc was elected to parliament and retained his seat in the following general election. Ah yes, when he died in 1953 I expect he had an rather easy time of it when he underwent what we must all undergo ... the Last Judgement.

Faithful Catholics usually do, I'm told.