Denver Catholic

4 I OPINION SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 I DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER 2. In Chapters 5 and 6 of Matthew's Gospel, we see Jesus teaching his little flock, his true family, these two things: A. the parables and who is the greatest in the kingdom GEORGE WEIGEL B. a new way of acting and a prayer of their own G.K. Chesterton, genius In a review quoted on the back cover of Ian Ker's G.K. Chesterton: A Biography (Oxford), Susan Elkin suggests that Father Ker's book "has the potential to establish Chesterton in what Ker regards as his rightful place as a major English author." That's certainly true; but one does wonder about that "Ker regards…" business. Does Ms. Elkin not regard Chesterton as a "major English author"? I imagine she would regard George Bernard Shaw, Chesterton's friendly antagonist, as such; and Shaw without doubt regarded Chesterton as such. Father Ker reminds his readers just why that's the case, which has to do with both the depth of Chesterton's insight and the breadth of his literary accomplishment. Catholics who know GKC primarily as one of the 20th century's most winsome and effective defenders of Christian orthodoxy will learn that Chesterton was also a distinguished literary critic: perhaps the greatest analyst of Dickens ever, and a man whose insight into literature drew the admiration of the likes of Joseph Conrad. Fans of Chesterton's own fiction—the Father Brown mysteries, The Man Who Was Thursday, The Napoleon of Notting Hill, some of the greatest nonsense verse in English—will learn, or be reminded, that GKC was also one of the most prolific journalists of his time, a man under constant deadline pressure who, like Mencken, was incapable of writing a dull sentence. Those who imagine Chesterton an amiable lightweight will have to wrestle with Etienne Gilson's judgment that Chesterton's small book, St. Thomas Aquinas, was "without possible comparison, the best book ever written on St. Thomas. Nothing short of genius can account for such an achievement." And then there is Chesterton the public figure, who cannot be extracted from Chesterton the literary man. For decades, GKC was at the center of the great public controversies of his day, and engaged both issues and opponents in a way that drew, not merely the respect, but the love, of his opponents. One need not agree with Chesterton's opinions in whole or in part to recognize that he had a remarkable insight into modernity and its discontents and a singularly fetching way of demolishing an intellectual opponent without drawing blood or leaving bruises. Ker's Chesterton is also full of interesting Chestertoniana with which even devoted Chestertonians may be unfamiliar. Among the new things I learned about Chesterton was his passion for Polish independence. Father Ker's telling of a GKC visit to the Polish Second Republic between the world wars is a lovely vignette in its own right as well as an illustration of Chesterton's political insight. For GKC saw, well before the evil deed was done in September 1939, that Poland would be struck by both Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia, acting in cahoots against an outpost of Christian civilization. Then there is the tale of Chesterton's months as a guest lecturer at the University of Notre Dame. It's a lovely story of Chesterton and his wife discovering the vitality, generosity, and hospitality of U.S. Catholicism in a "Catholic moment," and at a Catholic institution, that had yet to be affected by the acids of ambiguity. Thus in granting Chesterton an honorary degree, university president Father Charles O'Donnell, CSC, cited "with the greatest possible satisfaction ... that note of confident and triumphant Catholicity" that had "rung through" Chesterton's lectures on Victorian literature and history. (That the Notre Dame spin machine had not yet achieved the prodigies for which it is currently famous is clear from Father Ker's observation that the university's initial announcement of Chesterton's appointment "somewhat curiously" portrayed Chesterton as "if not one of the really great men of contemporary literature, certainly … one of the most discussed and caricatured"!) Through 700 pages that reflect an immense work of devoted scholarship, Ian Ker weaves the story of a Catholic defender of reality who was utterly convinced that history is His-story, God's story, and thus a divine comedy, not a terrible tragedy. Chesterton's rollicking humor, which bound both friend and foe to him, was not a quirk of personality. It was an expression of his Christian faith, hope and love. George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Weigel's column is distributed by the Denver Catholic Register, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Denver. Phone: 303-715-3215. C. the meaning of the Sabbath rest and how Jesus can provide for all BY PETER WESTHOFF Christ and the institution of the Church 1. Jesus inaugurated his Church by preaching the good news. What was this good news? A. the need for repentance B. the coming of the reign of God promised in the Scriptures C. the marquee events in the life of Christ Abo From Pag abortio C. anticipated in his time on earth tect the and fulfilled in his Ascension tain po 6. Who best prefigures the coming forth of the Church from Jesus pierced on the cross? viability "We d said. "B "N legis of see wan didn' A. John the Baptist coming forth from the lifeless womb of Elizabeth 3. Jesus also provided a structure for his flock that will last until the kingdom is YEAR fully achieved. What OF FAITH of this structure is before all else? SCRIPTURE A. discipleship in the sending out of the 72 B. the beatitudes A quiz on Catholic things under the patronage of the "Doctor of Prayer," St. Teresa of Avila. For each question there is one right answer, but the answer for one question is "None of the Above." The following quiz covers Catechism of the Catholic Church Nos. 763-769. B. anticipated in the miracles of healing and fulfilled in the Resurrection C. the Church as the bride of Christ B. Moses drawn from the waters of the Nile by pharaoh's daughter "Only, conduct yourselves C. Eve coming Colorad in a way worthy of the Gospel forth from the of Christ …(so) that you are side of sleeping standing firm in one spirit, Adam with one mind, struggling Norm together for the faith of weeks. the Gospel."—Phil 7. What is the statusdefined 1:27 of the Church now? mester. four pro late-term "Patie pregnan A. His Father, peace and solitude B. She is in glory preparing for an website even greater glory. B. His mission, power and lot In co C. His predestination, triumph and C. She is in hiding until the day of protect the great manifestation. laws in glory tutiona state ta 5. The Church is born primarily of abortio Christ's total self-giving for our life, an salvation. How is this anticipated under t and fulfilled? Next quiz covers catechism Nos. notice t A. anticipated at the Last Supper to an ab 770-781. While ing of a larly ge a lack o "Mon … who but abo really k Plann vider o perform accordi Parenth 7155 E. zation's To re parenta program sources rector describ firsthan women "A m that her cy surge PHOTO PROVIDED TO DCR BY COLLEEN QUINN "'What ARCHBISHOP Samuel Aquila, Yvonne Noggle of Christ in the at scho City, and Larry Smith of Catholic Charities, serve plates at The c Christ in the City's Sept. 4 gala. "Your d donors, staff and missionar- whom will serve in Denver,and ha ies served the plates to all the while others will be expandinglowing guests. The event featured a Christ in the City to Colorado This keynote address by Archbish- Springs. To donate to Christ inof the la op Aquila who commissioned the City, visit: www.christinthe "We the 14 missionaries, some of citymissionaries.com. are in p and enf 4. Christ prepares his closest followers who share with him these three things: A. She is in exile awaiting the full coming of the kingdom when Christ returns. 1. B, 2. B - Matt 5-6 includes the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer, 3. None of the Above - the 12 apostles with Peter as their head, 4. B, 5. A, 6. C, 7. A THE CATHOLIC DIFFERENCE in the Eucharist and fulfilled on the cross Service with Christian joy Christ in the City, a ministry that combines charitable works, Catholic spirituality and educational advancement to train college-age Catholics how to be missionaries in the United States in keeping with the teachings of Jesus Christ and the magisterium of the Catholic Church, held its first gala Sept. 4, in which they shared their Second Saturday Lunch in the Park experience with their guests. Every second Saturday, Christ in the City missionaries along with 40-plus volunteers serve homemade meals to more than 250 homeless in Lincoln Park in Denver. The gala was a unique way of sharing the organization's mission of "loving until it hurts" by showing their guests the same love and concern they give their friends on the street every day. Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila, Christ in the City board members, major ARCHBISHOP AQUILA'S SCHEDULE Industr The t in Phila ness ab Sept. 14: Mass, National Leaders' and Ministries' Conference Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Red Lion Hotel industr Southeast, Denver (9 a.m.) counts Sept. 15: Mass, Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (6:30 p.m.) babies b Sept. 11: 9/11 Mass, Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (12:10 p.m.); Andrew Dinner for vocations, St. Peter, Greeley (5:30 p.m.)

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