Chesterton and progress

Martin Scicluna (The Sunday Times, May 24) fired a broadside against two people whom I greatly respect - 'Roamer' and G.K. Chesterton. One seemingly insignificant sentence in his letter really gave Mr Scicluna away He wrote: "Chesterton refused to believe in the idea of progress."

Now for someone who reads Chesterton (a pleasant task indeed) the obvious question would be: But progress towards what? This is precisely the kind of logic which would give Chesterton fuel for a typical witty reply. Chesterton says: "I have long ceased to argue with people who prefer Thursday to Wednesday because it is Thursday."

This might sound very strange for today's mind. Perhaps it was some comment like this which misled Mr Scicluna. But Chesterton was profound. For him the idea of progress was linked with the idea of direction.

I end by thanking 'Roamer' for his contributions on Chesterton. Reading one of his columns I came to know that Chesterton actually walked down South Street, Valletta. Walking down that street will never be the same again for me. Whenever I do that I feel I am following in he footsteps of a great man indeed.