Over a hundred years ago, a university student found himself seated in a train by the side of a person who seemed to be a well-to-do peasant. He was praying the rosary and moving the beads in his fingers.

“Sir, do you still believe in such outdated things?” asked the student of the old man.

“Yes I do. Do you not?” asked the old man.

The student burst out into laughter and said, “I do not believe in such silly things. Take my advice. Throw the rosary out through this window and learn what science has to say about it.”

“Science? I do not understand this science? Perhaps you can explain it to me,” the man said humbly with some tears in his eyes.

The student saw that the man was deeply moved. So to avoid further hurting the feelings of the man, he said, “Please give me your address and I will send you some literature to help you on the matter.”

The man fumbled inside pocket of his coat and gave the boy his visiting card. On glancing at the card, the student bowed his head in shame and became silent.

On the card he read: “Louis Pasteur, Director of the Institute of Scientific Research, Paris, France.”

(via my-crazy-catholic-life)