Is support slipping away for GK Chesterton’s canonisation? Earlier this week the Londoner reported that Richard Ingrams, editor of The Oldie, thought the drive to make the Father Brown author a saint was a bad idea as it would bring up the old accusations of anti-Semitism against him, even though it was his brother Cecil who was chiefly guilty.
The drive to have GKC canonised comes from Dale Ahlquist, president of the American Chesterton Society, who says the writer brought many to the Catholic faith, and has been supported by the Bishop of Northampton, who has appointed a priest to look into it.
The Londoner decided to ask another GK Chesterton expert: Matthew Barzun. The new US ambassador to London is a declared fan of the writer and also a Catholic.
However, Barzun has chosen not to publicly back his man. “Ambassador Barzun prefers not to express an opinion on this matter,” was the US embassy’s answer. Who else might back Chesterton? The Londoner also tried Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England and a Catholic, but he seems too wrapped up in British fiscal policy to divert his attention. “No comment,” his office said. So who will take up the cause of GKC?
