Fr. John Kennedy
I would like to thank the Kolbe Center for making available the live streaming of Foundations Restored. While I’m extremely grateful for your generosity, I am in absolute awe of what you and your collaborators have been able to produce. I have watched every minute of it. Words escape me!
I was talking to a friend about it and said, without realizing the significance of my words immediately, that I had realized I had been in a war, and that I was quite wounded, but I hadn’t realized until now, that I had actually been a prisoner of war. Only after being released did I start to understand the full extent of the situation. It seemed the best description I could come up with to explain to him how I felt. A few moments later I realized just who is your patron saint. I was left a bit breathless. St Maximilian Kolbe is now entrenched in my prayer life!
I have been a priest for nearly 25 years and before that a nurse and scientist (I have a PhD in reproductive physiology). Hence I’m not a spring chicken. Never did I hear an interpretation of Genesis that the earth was the centre of the universe. Obviously I wouldn’t have at school or university but I don’t even recall us ever studying Genesis and creation in the seminary (surprise, surprise). Even reading commentaries didn’t hint at the possibility. Your documentary of Day One changed my whole way of thinking immediately. I don’t think anything has had such an immediate and transforming impact on me. It just made perfect sense! Deep in my being it was like a light being switched on. Now seeing the earth as the altar at the centre of the universe everything seems so much clearer. As mentioned, it has certainly helped my prayer life. My gratitude is impossible to express. It even cleared up the lingering doubts about the age of the earth that seemed so hard to sort out. If I ever believed in evolution as such, it was only very briefly, if at all, as it never sat right. However the extended time frame for creation and old universe that has been the ruling scenario was hard to deal with so I always put it in the ‘too hard’ basket. I feel that I’m free and happy now, the truth certainly sets us free!
Fr. John Kennedy
