That is certainly good to learn. Is your diocese large. How much housing does it have for the homeless and people with disabilities? What diocese are you a member of. Mine is the Diocese of San Bernardino (California)When you’re living as Pope Francis does, in the middle of the crowd, everything you do is going to be seen and commented on, good or bad. He has no control over that.
I’m not authorized to speak for the diocese, but I can say what I see. I see housing for seniors, unwed mothers, homeless, people with disabilities. I see property being used for pregnancy centers, soup kitchens, shelters. We have property used for respite, long-term rehabilitation. We have property being turned into center for prayer. And we have properties used to pay bills. I think the biggest bill in any diocese is going to be the seminary. Seminaries are not cheap to run. It costs millions of dollars. We’re talking about an undergraduate and graduate school that has to meet state and international requirements to grant degrees.
That and clericalism are very touchy issues in the renewal movement. Because we’re trying to get away from both images and restore image of the friar without the monastic and priestly focus. We do borrow some things from monks, such as the LOTH and we do have clerics. But we are not monks or clerics.
Among Benedictines there is a strong push to disengage them from the friars. Often, people think that because a Benedictine can be engaged in an apostolic work, this makes him the same as a friar, which is not true. Within the religious life, the monastic vocation is a call to find Christ in solitude, prayer and labor. The friar finds Christ in brotherhood, prayer and service.
No one is going to be offended to the point of calling you on the carpet for it. It’s not as serious as calling one a pig. Calling a friar a monk or a monk a friar is not at that level. But it is something that we’re trying very hard to change.
I don’t want to engage in a fight over which pope is best, but for those of you who don’t know Francis has not done anything his two predecessors had not done before:I see your point and ordinarily I would agree with you however Pope Francis is so very different in the best sense of that word and as such is a living reminder of how we should live the Christian life. I think that small instances like the fact that people had to buy him a new pair of shoes to go to the Vatican because his had holes in them is the type of thing that is so very St. Francisesque to coin a word. St. Francis was wedded to Lady Poverty.
That is terrific to learn. Do you know if they provide clothing and shelter as well?I don’t want to engage in a fight over which pope is best, but for those of you who don’t know Francis has not done anything his two predecessors had not done before:
"December 28, 2010. Benedict XVI invited 250 of Rome’s homeless to have lunch at the Vatican. They are the homeless population that are served by the religious orders founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
With this luncheon, the Pope also commemorated 100 year anniversary of Mother Teresa’s birth.
Benedict XVI was greeted with Christmas carols and a necklace of yellow and white flowers. He stopped by every table to greet his guests. "
“It’s called the Dono di Maria (Gift of Mary); the Vatican’s soup kitchen located inside a side corner of the Vatican City State. Founded by Pope John Paul II after the invitation of Mother Teresa, countless homeless men are fed here each evening inside the Vatican.”
Point: Benedict actually greeted and ate with the homeless. Please let’s not make Francis seem to be the only pope who led by example. I think we have had seven great popes in the last hundred years.