"The only words that ever satisfied me as describing nature are the terms used in fairy books, charm, spell, enchantment; they express the arbitrariness of the fact and its mystery." - G. K. Chesterton
The Season of Creation began September 1 and will run through October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Ecology.
A local parish celebrated the new Mass for Creation on September 1. The priest preached a homily about environmental concerns, and in the process made some comments that immediately made me think of Chesterton and localism.
Father decried large corporations, saying that they were concerned with profits, not with the effects their uni-crop/cash crop policies harm the environment. As part of that policy, they dose the land with chemical fertilizers that produce large crops in the short term but that damage the soil in the long run. He also said what is better is small, locally owned farms and business, as they encourage awareness of what is happening and care for the land, for the environment, and for their neighbors.
Very Chestertonian.
As Chesterton emphasized, small, local ownership, and concern for what is near and local is the way to go. We become more aware of what lies around us. As he noted, "One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.
I went up to the priest after Mass and asked if he was familiar with Chesterton and distributism/localism. He knew who Chesterton was, but did not seem to know a great deal about him. And it was clear he did not know anything about Chesterton's promotion of distributism.
Ah well, he at least he was thinking like Chesterton.
