tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post7454664658161993928..comments2024-03-25T11:09:41.538-04:00Comments on a minor friar blog: Poverty and PriesthoodBrother Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07780326836452864455noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-74973160945856261402011-11-13T23:09:24.421-05:002011-11-13T23:09:24.421-05:00Attending Sunday mass last night, I turned to my w...Attending Sunday mass last night, I turned to my wife and asked same question about what it means to be true Christian and how we end up skirting the issue of giving up wealth and doing compromises. <br /><br />It will remain a difficult one to answer, particularly for priests, though one which Francis answered with his life.friarminorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627846114387619720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-20350969343037409072011-11-11T05:38:47.345-05:002011-11-11T05:38:47.345-05:00@James: Thanks for the invitation!@James: Thanks for the invitation!Brother Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07780326836452864455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-6170378293196841302011-11-10T21:15:53.626-05:002011-11-10T21:15:53.626-05:00Fr. Charles,
Come up to St. Pat's in Lawrence...Fr. Charles,<br /><br />Come up to St. Pat's in Lawrence for a spell. I think you'll find that all if not most of your conditions could be met. Plus, we've got your spiritual descendants, the Primitive OFMs up here. I'm certain the pastor would be happy to have you.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07621099270590202701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-24574966305537039242011-11-10T15:36:04.216-05:002011-11-10T15:36:04.216-05:00Wow, friends. Thanks for the comments and encourag...Wow, friends. Thanks for the comments and encouragement!Brother Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07780326836452864455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-18862218355199852322011-11-10T13:36:27.509-05:002011-11-10T13:36:27.509-05:00I agree with Sara ... many a progressive priest ha...I agree with Sara ... many a progressive priest has with all good intentions led their flock astray. They need someone like you to bring them back to center. My own parish priest actually counseled me toward abortion. Five years later, I still can't make sense of it all. Yet, I'm sure he's sleeping well at night.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-55055265191933051972011-11-10T11:00:25.894-05:002011-11-10T11:00:25.894-05:00There are a fair number of poor traditionalists yo...There are a fair number of poor traditionalists you know. Maybe you could spend some time with them. While I would agree that parishes that tend to focus on the poor tend to be liberal, parishes and communities that use the extraordinary form tned to include people of all economic backgrounds. In our parish there are a number of families on food stamps, even greater numbers on medicaid, several people on Social Security Disability, and a few who live in government housing. They go to mass and pray and socilalize and have a real community with their fellow parishoners of other income levels in a way that I have not seen in other parishes. It is only in traditionalist parishes that I have actually seen millionaires who are good friends with people on government assistance. <br /><br />One of the big differences for poor traditionalists, however, is that they are generally still in intact families. Divorce is not so common, but if you get to know families well you will find that many have backgrounds that include prior abusive relationships, family trauma, or illigitimacy. The difference is that they have not used a liberal approach to moral theology to deal with the problems in their lives. This has meant escape from some of the problems associated with poverty, which may be why outside observers don't see that about 1/3 to 1/2 of the participants at an extrordinary form mass are living below the poverty line.<br /><br />Find a traditionalist with ten kids married to a homeschooling mother, and get to know them. There is a good chance that they buy their clothes at thrift stores and depend on St. Joseph to keep their car running.ben in denvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-1413236992197363642011-11-10T08:26:38.437-05:002011-11-10T08:26:38.437-05:00I think that both Fr. Christian and Sara have vali...I think that both Fr. Christian and Sara have valid points. Go where you are needed, and do your best to witness in that setting.<br /><br />As to "witnessing to physical poverty among those who live in physical abundance," not enough good can be said about this! I once taught religion in a Catholic prep school in a very affluent community. The school's chaplain was a Franciscan priest. He drove a sports car and wore a leather jacket. The students would ask me again and again, "Doesn't he have to live a poor life? Why does he have a sports car?" They NEEDED the witness that he failed to provide because of the possessions he had and used in the kids' presence. Kids have a very high "fake" detector, and what they want very badly is to see adults who really live what they say they believe in.Barb Szyszkiewiczhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00329184613713551475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-76043751392127087992011-11-10T06:07:52.886-05:002011-11-10T06:07:52.886-05:00Grappling with the mystery of Franciscan poverty i...Grappling with the mystery of Franciscan poverty is something a Secular Franciscan may also undergo. The ongoing formation book for SFOs by Lester Bach, OFM Cap (Picking More Daisies, Barbo-Carlson Enterprises, 2004) has a take on it: "Relying on God is the foundation of gospel poverty. Without that faith, we can have garage sales and cleaning-out-closets projects without being truly poor. On the other hand, we can so spiritualize our 'spirit of poverty' that nothing shows in real life" (110). <br /><br />Sometimes, I feel like I've grasped it. But at other times, I have to meditate on it like a Zen koan.<br /><br />Peace,<br /><br />BrynneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-56146590273632968502011-11-09T18:32:55.765-05:002011-11-09T18:32:55.765-05:00As a Christian mother, and a member of one of thos...As a Christian mother, and a member of one of those parishes in number 3, I can relate to the tension you describe. <br /><br />I'd suggest to you that while the pastors and staff of those parishes may be more progressive, there are probably quite a few of us there who would be very happy to see you.Saranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26883902.post-72423167441880111542011-11-09T17:55:23.683-05:002011-11-09T17:55:23.683-05:00Perhaps you can use this as an opportunity to give...Perhaps you can use this as an opportunity to give witness to physical poverty among those who live in physical abundance.Fr. Christian Mathishttp://www.blessedisthekingdom.comnoreply@blogger.com