Poverty
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Magnificat
My soul magnifies the Lord
And my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
Because he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaid;
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;
And his mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm,
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of his mercy
Even as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity forever.
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Poverty in Life of Ignatius
Four stages:
1 - Ignatius the Pilgrim convert (1521-24):
From solitary to apostolic mendicancy
2 - Ignatius the Student (1524-38):
Simplicity & begging during studies in Paris
3 - Ignatius & First Companions (1538-47):
Living off alms, caring for sick & dying, teaching
catechism; the Venice experience (model for
tertianship). No fixed revenues.
Ignatius & companions choose total poverty
(Deliberation of 1539, Formula of Institute, Spiritual Diary).
4. Ignatius & Early Society (after 1547):
How to continue personal poverty
while raising funds for apostolates, esp colleges?
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Poverty in Spiritual Exercises
Love of Christ poor, rejected, humiliated
as in colloquies of
• the Kingdom: “My resolute wish and desire, and my considered
determination on the sole condition that this be for your greater service
and praise is to imitate you in enduring every outrage and all contempt,
and utter poverty, both actual and spiritual, if your most holy Majesty
wants to choose me and receive me into that life and state.” [98]
• the Two Standards: asking the Lord to choose and receive me “in actual
poverty”. [147]
• Third Way of Being Humble: “... in order to imitate Christ Our Lord and to be
actually more like him, I want and choose poverty with Christ poor
rather than wealth ...” [167]
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Images of Poverty in Constitutions
as a mother ...
“All should love poverty as a mother, and according to
the measure of holy discretion all should, when
occasions arise, feel some of its effects.” (III.i.25 [287])
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Images of Poverty in Constitutions
as a strong wall, a defence, a rampart, a bulwark ...
“Poverty, as the strong wall of the religious institute, should
be loved and preserved in its integrity as far as this is
possible with God's grace. The enemy of the human race
generally tries to weaken this defence and rampart which God
our Lord inspired religious institutes to raise against him and the
other adversaries of their perfection.” (VI.2.I[553])
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Poverty
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Poverty
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Images of Poverty in Constitutions
Based on actual experience (not theory).
Curiously does not use rationale from Sp Ex
(but clearly presumed)
Distinctions between personal & communal poverty
Gratuity of ministries : “they ought to give gratuitously what
they have gratuitously received” (Mt10:9)
Linked to love of God, trust in God, availability for mission
Cannot be altered, except to be made more strict. [553-554]
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Ignatius' Warning against Self-Deception
Warns against “spiritualizing” actual poverty:
Any spiritual poverty that glosses over actual poverty will miss both!
“Lovers of poverty should also love her retinue as far
as they can – poor food, poor clothing, poor sleeping
accommodations, and being looked down upon. Otherwise,
someone who loved poverty but was unwilling to
experience any deprivation or effect of it would be a pretty
dainty poor person. He would certainly give evidence that he
loved the name rather than the reality of poverty – or loved it
with words more than with the heart.”
Ignatius (Polanco) to companions in Padua, 7 Aug. 1547
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
General Principles
1. Evangelical poverty…
Imitation of Christ :
truly and spiritually poor life ;
frugality
far from earthly riches
dependence and restraint in the use of the goods
Principle found in love of the Word of God, made flesh and
crucified: achieve that liberty for an intense love of God and neighbour
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
General Principles
2. In the society of Jesus…
The least Company…
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
General Principles
3. Value the goods of the Kingdom of God…
…the Beatitudes
• Preach
in all its integrity
• Simplicity and fraternal union
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
General Principles
4. Prophetic
Over personal fulfilment, competition, efficiency
and success at any cost
Evangelical solidarity
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
General Principles
5. Gratuity of love
witness of the total emptying of
incarnation and the cross
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
General Principles
6. Adapted to our time
•
•
No one can lightly call himself poor
So it means:
1. genuiness;
authentic, leading to interior conversion
2. generous dedication to work
for the Kingdom of God, not temporal
gain; equitable and just
3. charity
nothing our own, but common in Christ
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
General Principles
7. In the society of Jesus…
The least Company…
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
General Principles
8. standard of living of a family of slender means
9. handover to the community what we receive
10. to preserve and foster this poverty
11. in conversion of heart
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
General Principles
12. Simple and happy to share
•
apostolic indifference
•
turning to those most in need
•
spiritually and apostolically effective
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Personal Poverty
1 : the vow of poverty
2 : common life
• Superfluities are to be avoid
• Superiors should provide
(cloth, food, necessities) or allow
• No unreasonable practice of TV, radio,
musical, no private car, no costly journey.
• Generous hospitality
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Personal Poverty
•
•
•
•
1 : our common Way of living
in External Matters
Common life & be among people for the
redemption of the world: sharing things…
Any austerity of other religious institutes locally
do
Living standard appropriate of disciples of
Christ poor: simple, welcoming, open…
Suitable, appropriate and simple buildings
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Poverty in common
1. sources of revenues necessary for living
and for the apostolate
a.
Spiritual and sacramental ministries transcend
every economic remuneration and urge us
toward a perfect gratuity: for inner freedom,
outer freedom, edification of others, pure love of
Christ and humankind. Look not on our interest
but that of Christ.
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Poverty in common
1. sources of revenues necessary for living
and forb.the apostolate
All sources of revenues are
permitted.
Demand no stipend for our spiritual
work. Remuneration and gifts
considered to be the fruit of personal
talent and industry may be accepted.
For the celebration of Mass, where it
can be done, gratuity should be
practiced.
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Poverty in common
1. sources of revenues necessary for living
and for the apostolate
c.
The Society temporal’s goods are to be
regarded as the property of our Lord JesusChrist and as the patrimony of Christ poor.
d.
We should be vigilant in the administration of
goods that social justice is not violated.
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Poverty in common
2. the distinction between
communities
and apostolic institutions.
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Poverty in common
3. The poverty of communities
a.
Communities are capable of possessing
movable and immovable property.
The goods of apostolic institutions of the Society
may not be diverted to the use of Jesuits or of
communities.
The communities shouldn’t have fixed and stables rents
coming from property. Others fixed and stable revenues are
licit.
They may own only that immovable property necessary and
appropriate for habitation and use.
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Poverty in common
b.
3. The poverty of communities
Those responsible for administration should
prepare a projected budget as well as a
statement of revenues and expenses.
An annual financial report must be made.
The surplus of each community is to be distributed yearly.
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Poverty of the apostolic institutions
Apostolic institutions, churches excepted,
can have revenue-bearing capital and stable
revenues, adequate to their purpose.
Mindful that we are sent to preach in poverty, take
care that our apostolic institutions avoid any manner
of extravagance and limit themselves strictly to the
functional, attentive to the standards of similar institutions
or works in the region and to their apostolic purpose.
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
The Sharing of Goods
there is to be provision for the distribution of the
communities’ surplus:
the apostolic institutions in need, the need of
the whole society and of non-Jesuits
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
The poverty of the Society as a whole and of the provinces
The Society, provinces and regions are
capable of possessing even revenue-bearing
capital and enjoying stable and assured
revenues in the limits herein defined :
to promote certain apostolic works of a more universal
kind or to relieve the needs of the province
Arca Seminarii, Arca Praevisionis, Arca Operum
Apostolicorum, Arca Fundationum.
And dispose of the surplus with the approval of the General.
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Status on Poverty
Apostolic Institutions
apostolic institutions, churches excepted,
can have revenue-bearing capital and stable
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th
Questions
Personal: how have you grown in your living out of
poverty?
Communal: In your experience, what have been the benefits
and challenges of communal poverty
Apostolic: In what way has your experience of poverty, both personal
and communal, been apostolic?
Damjan, Elias, Jacques & John – April, 19th