Peter Maurin
believed
in teaching
ancient principles
to the man on the street
in the language
of the man on the street.

Peter Maurin
believed
that the man on the street
could understand
and believe in
ancient principles
if someone took the time
to explain it to him
in his own language.

Peter Maurin
believed
that the best way to learn
the language of
the man on the street
was to spend time with
the man on the street.

Peter Maurin
believed
that academics
without action
were worthless,
that education
without unity of thought
was impossible
that Catholic Faith
without Catholic Action
was absurd.

Peter Maurin
believed
that the Marxist
was the Catholic
who had remained
unevangelized
because the Catholic academic
would not spend time with
the man on the street
when the Marxist academic
was more than happy to.

Peter Maurin
believed
that the Catholic Church
could easily become
the most dynamic social force
in the world
if only Catholics
would spend time with
the man on the street.

Peter Maurin
believed
that theology today
is impotent
because it is divorced
from action.
Secular society
only acts on principles
that can be believed by everybody.

Peter Maurin
believed
that most Catholics
are too good at being
members
of secular society.

Peter Maurin
believed
that faith without works
is dead.

St. James
also believed
that faith without works
is dead.

Peter Maurin
believed
that a culture
built around cult
and cultivation
could unite
and aspire
and build such things
as Chartres Cathedral
with volunteer labor.

Peter Maurin
believed
that a culture
divorced from cult
and cultivation
could not unite
or aspire
to build anything more
than the whitewashed tomb
of a mortgaged church
with contract labor.

Peter Maurin
was a radical
because he believed
that our Vine
has roots
that run deep
and that its branches
need pruning
from time to time.

Are we conservatives
because we’re afraid
that our Vine
has no roots
and will die
if we touch it
or will fall over dead
if we, the branches,
grow an inch?

Sean Connolly

Sean Connolly

Sean is a teacher of History, Latin, and Choir at the high school level and parish music director. He keeps his domestic church in ordered disarray with an equally beleaguered and altogether lovely lady and his little daughter.

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