G.K. Chesterton wrote, [W]e should thank God for beer and Burgundy by not drinking too much of them. Privately, he joked, One pint is enough, two pints is one too many, three pints isnt half enough.
Which of the sayings did he live by?
This is part of what Fr. John Udris will research. Fr. Udris is the cleric conducting the inquiry into Chestertons cause for canonization. Catholic Household e-mailed to ask if Chestertons eating and drinking habits would factor into the inquiry. Fr. Udris promptly responded, The short answer to your query is YES obviously any investigation into his sanctity will entail answering doubts in this regard.
So, what are the doubts? Is it even so important to answer them since, as is frequently heard, there are many fat saints in the Church? St. Thomas Aquinas typically heads the list, and St. John XXIII is given as a recent example. In St. Thomas case, as Chesterton wrote, legends about his weight are exaggerated (see note at the end of article) and there is certainly no documentation he was intemperate. Temperance, the moderate use of created goods, is a cardinal virtue, and its exemplary practice is necessary for canonization.
Surprisingly, in a case like St. John XXIII, documentation suggests he was temperate, even heroically. The pope dispensed the papal privilege of eating alone in order to dine with others, and ate, according to his secretary and witnesses, like a bird. He avoided fatty foods, lived into his 80s and died of cancer.
While awaiting Fr. Udris findings, in a process that can take years, what evidence do we currently have about Chesterton in regards to temperance?
