PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‘Suitable Cleric’ Appointed to Investigate G.K. Chesterton’s Cause for Canonization
Minneapolis, Minnesota (September 21, 2013). The Diocese of Northampton issued the following statement about the investigation into G.K. Chesterton’s Cause for Canonization:
The Diocese of Northampton has taken the first steps to opening the Cause of G.K. Chesterton. In a statement this morning it says: ‘Since the Right Reverend Peter Doyle was appointed Bishop of Northampton in June 2005, there have been a number of approaches from people in the UK and, in particular, in the USA enquiring about the possibility of opening the Cause of G.K. Chesterton.
In response to these approaches, the Bishop has appointed Canon John Udris, a priest of the Diocese and currently a spiritual director at St Mary’s College, Oscott, to undertake a fact-finding exercise on his behalf.
Contacted by Dale Ahlquist, Fr. Udris said, “I was delighted when Bishop Peter asked me to take on this task. I am eager to begin gathering the necessary information that will enable him to consider the potential next steps. I hope that people will respond generously with their contributions in this undertaking.”
Ahlquist was thrilled with the pick. “Fr. Udris is an excellent choice,” he said. “In fact, I was hoping he would be the one appointed to conduct the investigation. He is the former pastor of St. Teresa’s in Beaconsfield, where I met him in 2002. He was newly appointed to the parish and was quite excited to be the pastor of Chesterton’s church. Even then, he was already anxious to gather personal stories from the few people still living who knew Chesterton personally. The stories he shared even then attested to Chesterton’s great goodness and personal holiness. I am sure Fr. Udris has a great deal of material available to him, and he knows the process and knows what to look for. He is an authority on another saint, St. Therese of Lisieux, about whom he has written extensively.”
Dale Ahlquist met Fr. Udris on a tour of England in 2002.
The Diocese asks that anyone with information on G.K. Chesterton related to his Cause, or who wants to contribute to this undertaking, to contact Fr. Udris at St. Mary’s College, Chester Road, Sutton, Coldfield, B73 5AA, UK. His e-mail address is [email protected].
For media inquiries, or to schedule an interview with Dale Ahlquist, please contact the American Chesterton Society at [email protected] or call 952-831-3096.
ACS Books, a division of the American Chesterton Society
4117 Pebblebrook Circle, Minneapolis, MN 55437 | 952-831-3096 | www.chesterton.org