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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