HCW: What do you think of the present secular and theological world?
Peter Maurin: We have entered into a new Dark Age in a century and culture of death, holocausts and exploitation of poor workers.
To be radically right is to go to the roots by fostering a society based on creed,
systematic unselfishness and gentle personalism.
To foster a society based on creed instead of greed, on systematic unselfishness instead of systematic selfishness, on gentle personalism, instead of rugged individualism, is to create a new society within the shell of the old.
Modern society is in a state of chaos. And what is chaos if not lack of order?
All founders of orders made it their personal business to try to solve the problems of their own day. If religious orders made it their business to try to solve the problems of our own day by creating order out of chaos, the Catholic Church would be the dominant social dynamic force in our day and age.
HCW: How is a personalist different from other people?
Peter Maurin: A personalist is a go-giver, not a go-getter.
He tries to give what he has, and does not try to get what the other fellow has. He tries to be good by doing good to the other fellow. He is altro-centered, not self-centered. He has a social doctrine of the common good.
HCW: What is the most important thing in your economic reform?
Peter Maurin: Peter Kropotkin said: "The economic problem is not an economic problem; it is an ethical problem."
Economic reform must begin with the individual. No effort to build an economic order embodying Catholic teaching can succeed unless Catholics begin to live out their principles in their personal lives.
If I am anxious to build an economic order which cares for the needs of the poor and the needy, I must care for the poor and the needy. If I want to love Jesus, I must love my neighbor, especially my neighbor in need.
HCW: Do you believe in systems?
Peter Maurin: We believe in systematic unselfishness.
HCW: Do you believe each person has a vocation?
Peter Maurin: We have entered into a new Dark Age in a century and culture of death, holocausts and exploitation of poor workers.
To be radically right is to go to the roots by fostering a society based on creed,
systematic unselfishness and gentle personalism.
To foster a society based on creed instead of greed, on systematic unselfishness instead of systematic selfishness, on gentle personalism, instead of rugged individualism, is to create a new society within the shell of the old.
All founders of orders made it their personal business to try to solve the problems of their own day. If religious orders made it their business to try to solve the problems of our own day by creating order out of chaos, the Catholic Church would be the dominant social dynamic force in our day and age.
HCW: How is a personalist different from other people?
Peter Maurin: A personalist is a go-giver, not a go-getter.
He tries to give what he has, and does not try to get what the other fellow has. He tries to be good by doing good to the other fellow. He is altro-centered, not self-centered. He has a social doctrine of the common good.
HCW: What is the most important thing in your economic reform?
Peter Maurin: Peter Kropotkin said: "The economic problem is not an economic problem; it is an ethical problem."
Economic reform must begin with the individual. No effort to build an economic order embodying Catholic teaching can succeed unless Catholics begin to live out their principles in their personal lives.
If I am anxious to build an economic order which cares for the needs of the poor and the needy, I must care for the poor and the needy. If I want to love Jesus, I must love my neighbor, especially my neighbor in need.
HCW: Do you believe in systems?
Peter Maurin: We believe in systematic unselfishness.
HCW: Do you believe each person has a vocation?
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