What Does the Vow of Poverty Mean to Me?


To me the vow means holding all things in common. I might say "my car" but it was purchased by the congregation. It does not belong to me.  I live alone so I am the only one who drives this car but if I lived with other sisters I'd be sharing my car with others.

Each spring I prepare a budget for the following fiscal year. I presently have a good salary and my paycheck is payable to the Sinsinawa Dominicans and deposited in my central bank account. What I need each month to live on remains in my account. The remainder is transferred to the congregation. The congregation paid for my education. I have insurance from my place of employment and expenses not paid by insurance come from our congregation medical account.

I am expected to be accountable for the budget I submitted and had approved last spring. I also know if I have unexpected expenses the congregation is there to help me.  I know I must do my part but I also know the congregation is there for me.  We hold all things in common. We are there for each other.
We continually ask ourselves how we can live simply. 

Do I, do you, have too much "stuff?" How can you live more simply?

Laura Goedken, OP
Davenport, Iowa

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