Exclusive Interview: Paradise Commander - How a Convinced Agnostic Became a Devout Catholic

By Fr. James Farfaglia
2/19/2013
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

An extraordinary story about an ordinary man

Much of our apostolic work focused on Catholic converts, but there are far more candidates for conversion already in the Church. If I have helped to awaken even a few to embrace the reality of relationship with the Living God, I am content.

Facebook Delicous MySpace

Twitter Stumble Digg

More Destinations

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) - Catholic Online contributing writer Father James Farfaglia interviews Albert Hughes, author of an exciting new book entitled Paradise Commander.

Fr. James: I enjoyed reading Paradise Commander. I know from personal experience that writing a book is quite an amazing adventure. What inspired you to write a book about your own personal conversion?

Al Hughes: While commanding Antigua Air Station, West Indies, so much happened, often humorous, I often said without real intent, "I could write a book!" As my conversion began with a flood of miraculous events, "I could write a book" began to take hold of my life. From time to time I wrote notes and snippets, drafted chapters; established a chapter sequence that kept changing on me. The manuscript was a long time coming. In retrospect, Paradise Commander could not have been completed without the insights gained in my religious calling: my post- Air Force 25 year avocation as a lay catechist and retreat master.

Fr. James: In the preamble of your book you write, "It was no surprise that from the ripe old age of 14, I declared myself an agnostic." Can you explain to me and to our Catholic Online readers what it is like to be an agnostic? What goes on inside the soul of someone who claims to be an agnostic?

Al Hughes: In the epilogue, I mention the existence of unknown unknowns. There are many facts and issues we do not know and do not know that we do not know. I was un-churched and un-taught in spiritual matters. You can't delve into matters you don't know exist! I could not ask questions about matters hidden in my personal set of unknown unknowns. However, the indifference and disbelief my parents demonstrated was clear. Juveniles often do as their parents do.

Fr. James: What about the atheist? Practically speaking, you know, based on the day by day stuff, is there really that much of a difference, or what is the difference?

Al Hughes: The agnostic knows he can't prove a negative. One only can say that he has no evidence of the positive. (There can be no evidence of nothing!) When the atheist with his own set of unknown unknowns states with conviction that there is no God, he makes a very real faith statement. He cannot prove it, but believes it, often with militant results.

Fr. James: But, as a self-declared agnostic, you met, fell in love and married your wife Jeannie who has always been a devout Catholic. How does that happen? Is love that blind or is that a part of God's plan that you talk about in your book?

Al Hughes: You ask a biological question! Nature has its ways. I was not opposed to the faith of others. Before the wedding Mass, the priest was interested in one key issue. Would I interfere with the Christian education of our children? My answer was, "Why would I interfere? I have nothing to offer them, but Jeannie does!" He was satisfied. As to God's plan, our meeting and wedding was so improbable (she from Seattle, me from south Louisiana, meeting at a marina in Florida where we both lived on adjacent sailboats), it would seem in the context of all else that happened, only God could put that scenario together.

Fr. James: From the very beginning of your book you talk about your extensive military career in the Air Force and your assignment on the beautiful Caribbean island, Antigua, West Indies. Can you give us a quick summary of your military experience and what it was like to live in Antigua?

Al Hughes: Sure. Through the rank of Captain, I managed development of special purpose radars for Cape Canaveral and the Caribbean air stations. Newly a Major, I was assigned as a Senior Director of the Space Defense Center; later a crew commander of the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System near Fairbanks and still later as Commander of Antigua Air Station. I completed my career as a Lieutenant Colonel, conducting strategic planning ...

1 | 2 Next Page

Rate This Article

Was this helpful to you? Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful at All

Would you be interested in more articles like this? Yes, I am Interested No, I am not Interested

Rate Article

1 - 1 of 1 Comments

Mathew Thankachen O.Praem
3 months ago
Thank you Fr.James for your Interview with Al Hughes, attempting to share his personal conversion from Agnostic to Catholic. In line with your thought, I published an article titled, " The God of Atheists' from a different angle in the ' Indian Currents.Org

The god of the Atheists.
It is absurd to speak of the god of Atheists for the very word ‘Atheists’ stands for ‘non- believer’. Unlike in the past, today ‘communists and Atheists’ are treated, probably with more respect in the society than a theist. They are eulogized for their rational tempo and pragmatic approach. Last week, I happened to be a speaker in one of the Catholic colleges in a symposium on ‘Science and Religion in the Christian perspective’. There were eminent personalities like Dr. Rajpal Singh Kashyap, a scientist himself. The moderator of the dialogue was the Head of the Department for Physics who introduced himself as an “Atheist”. I was taken aback to know such atheists work in catholic college. His talk was such persuasive that I felt my arguments don’t hold much water. The historical acrimony of Galileo by the Church still weakened my thesis. Yet I cudgeled my brain to vindicate that Jesus was the most revolutionary in annihilating the Religious superstitions and irrationality prevailed in the Jewish custom while provoking the Jews to think “critically and creatively”. I too clarified etymologically that “ scientia”(Lat) , “Episteme” (Gk) means “Knowledge” and it was best realized in Jesus.If the definition of Aristotle “ science as a body of Knowledge explained logically and rationally”, Jesus could be a “ scientist par exallance”. While Science established the relationship of man with his immediate and tangible cosmos around, the same “search Engine within man” exceeds a step further to find an “ultimate relationship” as the very world “Religion” (Relegare Lat.) stands for. The Bible, although not a book of natural science, has been the inspiration behind ‘Evolutionary theory and Big Bang theory’. The historical contributions of the Catholic Church in the progress of science such as the Vatican Observatory ( 1891) ‘Pontific Academy of Science’ (1936) and contributions of Catholic clergy like George Lamaiter( Big Bang Theory) Mendel (Genetic theory)etc. added teeth to my argument. Although I don’t hate Atheists and Communists, for Jesus commanded “to love your enemy”, seldom could I appreciate their stand for my concept of ‘Atheism’ was often colored by the Western Atheism as much as the Western concept of Secularism. Although India is a land of million gods and goddesses, I found in the sharing that followed by these eminent experts that Hinduism and Buddhism that shaped the Indian culture had the seed of Atheism. ‘Samkya and Mimamsa’ of the Hindu school were Atheists. For the Ancient Indian Logic, the first cause was illogical. The Religion of Budhism doesn’t believe in any ‘God’, ‘ soul’ or ‘ reincarnation’, despite the ‘Enlightenment of Buddha, neither do they have any role for God in creation ’. They explain creation in terms of ‘immediate cause’ or “dependent origination’. Even when they don’t have a theistic doctrine, they are the exponent of “non-violence’ and “human benevolence’. Properly understood, even the ‘ secularism’ of India envisaged in the constitution is not a “ denial of God” or Religions, rather is the “ strengthening of faith” while the state remains “ neutral” in her relationship. Unlike in Europe, Atheism in India is a part of culture that demands “co-existence”. Some of them vehemently attacked the “organized Religions” for their “failure of God” in carrying out” justice and compassion” in the socio- political context of the nation. In my assessment, it became evident that “whenever the God of Religions failed to create a better human, a bitter human gave birth to a god of Atheism”. It is interesting to note that the number of Atheists in the third world increased between 1970-90, a period in which the Communism was a challenge to the Organized Religion while brain washing them as the “ opium of the people”. Thereafter the decline of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe “converted the Communists” to accept “Jesus as the revolutionary model” coupled with “ Liberation theology of the Catholic Church” of social justice that brought about a “ hybrid” Christianity of “ Christian orthodoxy” and “ Atheistic/ Communist ortho-praxis’. While the role of God in the ‘Afro-Asian nations is limited to the material welfare and social justice, the role of God in the developed West is a matter of ‘God of Gap’ between private and public life, science and Religion. For instance, the Europeans don’t’ want the Church to intervene in their ‘private morals’ like ‘sexuality, reproduction, abortion’ etc. In the realm of science, they believe God is outside the scope of Test Tube and hence is a “God of gap”. While many accepts the Church’s stand on “Science as a boon for humanity”(Vat.II), they refuse the same for Religion. Fr. Job Kozhamthadam, the founder and pioneer of ‘Institute of Science and Religion’ Pune, in his valedictory statement clarified three basic statuses of science and Religion in the contemporary society vz. Christianity is an enemy of science, Faith and science is complementary, respect the autonomy of both, nevertheless interfering. Despite methodological variation, a teleological convergence of Science and Religion for the welfare of humanity was quite evident in the dissertation. Despite ‘Religion’ varies in its scope and methodology from science, the ‘Rationality of faith’ was affirmed. In this year of “Faith”, one is reminded of the great responsibility not to create “ the god of atheists’ otherwise in a fertile soil of India.
Mathew Thankachen O.Praem.

Comments submitted must be civil, remain on-topic and not violate any laws including copyright. We reserve the right to delete any comments which are abusive, inappropriate or not constructive to the discussion.

Though we invite robust discussion, we reserve the right to not publish any comment which denigrates the human person, undermines marriage and the family, or advocates for positions which openly oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church.

This is a supervised forum and the Editors of Catholic Online retain the right to direct it.

We also reserve the right to block any commenter for repeated violations. Your email address is required to post, but it will not be published on the site.

We ask that you NOT post your comment more than once. Catholic Online is growing and our ability to review all comments sometimes results in a delay in their publication.

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Send me important information from Catholic Online and it's partners. See Sample

Post Comment