Poverty Poverty: Power, Minority and Service to the
Marginalized
Slide 2
Poverty Poverty - most associated with the Franciscan movement
Understanding the Franciscan traditions response to a medieval
socio-economic context and implications for todays choices.
Slide 3
Poverty Rocca Maggiore: The Lord lived in a castle above the
city (greatest protection) while little ones occupied the city
below. The world of Francis and Clare: A walled-in medieval city of
maiores and minores. (Rocca Maggiore towers over Assisi) The little
ones worked in the fields during the day but were permitted back in
the city at night.
Slide 4
Poverty Cathedral of San Ruffino adjacent to Clares home
Franciss home down in the center of Assisi World of Francis and
Clare: A medieval commune consisted of uptowners, especially the
nobility and persons of influence, while the merchants and
tradesmen lived geographically below as the downtowners.
Slide 5
Poverty Clares home near the Cathedral of San Ruffino in the
upper part of the city of Assisi indicates she was from the noble
class Franciss family on the other hand lived off the central
Piazza Commune in the middle of Assisi within the merchant shop
areas
Slide 6
Poverty World of Francis and Clare: a walled-in medieval city
created divisions in a world of insiders and outsiders with more
than a half-dozen city gates.
Slide 7
Poverty Outsiders: lepers (persons with Hansens disease),
thieves or literally those outcasts who were forced outside the
walls of protection.
Slide 8
Poverty St. Clares Conversion Nobility Refuses arranged
marriages Inspired by and inspires St. Francis Formed the Poor
Ladies of San Damiano, later known as the Poor Clares Wrote her own
Rule of Life The Lord reveals what is best to the least among
us.
Slide 9
9 Poverty Francis: Son of a Merchant Middle class Wasnt poor;
had means, skills, connections (like Jesus) Merchant mentality:
give me so I can do Maturation events Response/rebellion to
socio-economics
Slide 10
10 Poverty Francis: Son of a Merchant Wore the fashions (note
that his father was clothier) Suited when sent to war Learned
fathers business, to make use of money Called a prudens negotiator,
i.e., slick businessman Ever a disappointment to his father
Slide 11
11 Poverty The Conversion of Francis St. Francis as a youth had
a very unfruitful experience of war, both in the civil fighting of
Italy and within his inner self as his youthful dreams of glory
faded.
Slide 12
12 Poverty Lavish robes stripped Turns away from fathers
lifestyle Returns his clothes Half-naked Dress as poor beggar Gives
up his family name Leaves the security of the city Franciss
Conversion
Slide 13
13 Poverty Feels own vulnerability Disowns current economic
situation Acceptance of churchs blessing on project Embraces new
life contrary to social values Franciss Stripping: teenage
rebellion, simple act of piety or social statement? Disrobes and
returns all to his father Stands naked in square Covered with
bishops mantle Puts on the garment of a penitent
Slide 14
14 Poverty Francis: steps out of the norm to embrace poverty
Moves from either/or to both/and Possessiveness to not
appropriating Powerful to freedom Independence to fraternitas
Stability to itinerancy
Slide 15
15 Poverty The son who does not give obedience to his father
and to his mother, at their request is to be banished from the city
and from the district, and no one may give him anything to eat or
drink or help him in any way. Francis escaped this by appealing to
ecclesial authorities. Statutes of the Commune of Assisi Statue of
Franciss parents: Pietro and Dona Pica
Slide 16
16 Poverty Assisi: Medieval Socio-economics Two-class- society:
haves and have nots Rich and poor Powerful and powerless Beginnings
of a middle class finding power in guilds: relationships Rise of
money Transition between gift and profit economy
Slide 17
17 Poverty Gift or Profit Economy Gift economy Goods and
services no calculated value cortesia Workers gifts are valued
Class merely determined by birth Economics is simply a means of
exchange Structures serve Profit Economy Everything has an assigned
value Haggling Workers used to make profit Status can be earned
Economics divides and dehumanizes Structures control
Slide 18
18 Poverty Spirituality as Gift or Profit Gift Spirituality
Goods and services come liberally from God Things are for use or
shared not to accumulate All (sisters/brothers) adopted into
Kin-dom Commune Voluntary poverty role in journey into God Profit
Spirituality Warring to possess Banks and storage begin Salvation
has to be earned Dualities of good/evil defined by possessions as
loved more by God Powerful control
Slide 19
19 Poverty Choosing Life of Poverty Rising at daybreak, then,
together with another man named Peter, who also wanted to become a
brother, they went to the church of Saint Nicol next to the piazza
of the city of Assisi. They entered for prayer, but, because they
were simple, they did not know how to find the passage in the
Gospel about renunciation. They prayed devoutly that the Lord would
show them his will on opening the book. (The Legend of the Three
Companions, VIII, 28) Francis, a worshiper of the Trinity, opened
the book of the Gospels three times asking God to confirm Bernards
plan with a threefold testimony. (Bonaventure, The Major Legend of
Saint Francis, III, 3) (above) Former entrance area: San Nicolo
(below) Possibly the actual Book of Gospels
Slide 20
20 Poverty Evangelical Life Reading 1: If you wish to be
perfect, go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you
will have a treasure in heaven. (Mt 19:21) Reading 2: Take nothing
for the journey. (Lk 18:22) Reading 3: If anyone wishes to follow
me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. (Mt
16:24)
Slide 21
21 Poverty Obedience: To Follow in the Footprints of Jesus
Though he was in the form of God, Jesus did not deem equality with
God something to be grasped. Jesus emptied himself and took on
human form. (Phil 2:6) Poverty freely chosen Live sine proprio
Attitude of non-proprio
Slide 22
22 Poverty Preach the Good News by Actions All is gift Right to
food and security Poverty is not choosing destitution or
deprivation but freedom Not impoverish self but enrich the other
Alms are the right of the poor Antidote for poverty is
relationships Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven
is theirs. (Mt 25)
Slide 23
23 Poverty Challenges Today Preferential option for the poor
(Catholic social teachings) A voice for the voiceless Attentive to
the marginalized, without place in society Acknowledge poverty/poor
exist and is unacceptable Following Jesus, opt for the poor: as
poor See the earth and future generations as a new poor
Slide 24
24 Poverty In what ways are you aware of living our Franciscan
poverty? In what ways do these realities challenge us to see and
believe in a God of abundance? Poverty of Time Poverty of Personnel
Poverty of Resources Poverty of Voice/Power Franciscan antidote to
poverty is not wealth but relationships. In what new ways could we
manifest a more Franciscan manner of relating as sisters and
brothers? How might this draw us into greater collaboration with
the Franciscan family, particularly AFCU? with the diocese and
universal church? with all creation (ref: Canticle of the
Creatures)?
