PHIL: philosophers thoughts on how to take care of the widows of their time?

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What were some of the philosophers thoughts on how to take care of the widows of their time?

Many times a woman becomes a widow but does not want to marry again but seems forced into it.

Social pressure, ecconomic, no one to help her.

The widow may have much talent to give yet to the Church but no where to go with it.

How did ancient time deal with this issue?

Just some thoughts within the Church or society as a whole.

Any ideas? thanks — Dessert
 
Good question! Don’t know opinions of various philosophers on this. Though not a student, I was hoping to learn from this trial forum something of the metaphysics (nature of the real) and epistimology (criteria for determining the real) that must be understood prior to approaching the philosophy of ethics/morality.
Been a long time, but the little I recall from Aristotle & Plato (not sure where) on ethics is too culturally conditioned to be of much use today. My impression is that the early church had societies of widows devoted to prayer and/or charity. These may have been forerunners of communities of nuns, though the more eremetic/contemplative desert fathers/mothers is the tradition I’ve seen given credit for the development of religious life.
Opportunities for the poor to move above their “class” into trades or commerce were severely limited for both women AND men. The priesthood, religious life, and the military could give rare persons with talent and fortitude a chance for another kind of life. Obviously, women could opt only for religious life among those three choices. And until the rise of the mendicant orders (like the Franciscans), a poor widow with no “dowry” could have much difficulty joining a religious community.
You might get a better idea of where to find answers in the following books (I haven’t read either, but enjoyed the author’s work on St. Joan of Arc):
Code: 
WOMEN IN THE DAYS OF THE CATHEDRALS
     Regine Pernoud

THOSE TERRIBLE MIDDLE AGES!
     Regine Pernoud
I think Ignatius Press has both.
 
Thanks for your info I will check these out. I have some other ideas for thread and encourage others to start one. Dessert
 
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