Do you know anyone who has taken an oath of perpetual poverty?

When I was young I studied with a religious order whose members took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. I was in high school at the time, though,, and we were not required to profess until college.

The vow of poverty refers more to individual ownership than to “living in poverty” as it is understood by society in general. A vow of poverty was a renunciation of ownership of, and therefore attachment to, physical things. Everything was technically owned in common by the Community. All needs, spiritual as well as physical, were provided for by the Order.

Santoka Taneda had no income and spent the latter years of his life walking round Japan. He existed by begging and wrote haiku describing his experiences.

In Nepal at many shrines and temples there are “Holy men” sitting outside or in prominent photographic spots. They pose with tourists for donations. Nepal Holy Man

I KNEW such people. Though the bulk of them now are surely dead. The nuns and priests of my youth took such vows. their needs were supposedly looked after by their “orders”. Some of those orders took those vows to extremes. demanding visual demonstrations of penury on the part of adherents. Sack cloth garments with the texture of burlap, and that sort of thing. But even as a little kid it quickly dawned on me that the priests were livin it up compared to the privations inflicted on the nuns. It was straight up misogyny “for the greater glory of God”.

Eh, most who take vows of poverty live in relative luxury. They might not own much of anything personally, but their people make sure they are well taken care of.

Shit….on second thought, maybe I should get in on that.

One of my best friends used to be a monk. He ended up leaving the order because he got too depressed.

^^Monasticism is not for everyone.

@Strauss No, he became clinically depressed and he started drinking. He decided it wasn’t healthy so he left the order.

About Catholic clergy: the priests that one typically sees presiding at Mass do not take vows of poverty. Those who belong to religious orders do if their order requires it. It’s got nothing to do with misogyny. It has to do with the distinction between “secular” clergy who are directly under the authority of the local bishop (which includes the typical parish priest) and “regular” clergy, who belong to an order and are “regulated” by the specific rules of their order (monks, nuns, and friars), which may include a vow of poverty.

@Zissou That is generally true. The priests of most Catholic parishes (as well as Anglican and Orthodox) were ordained into the service of the diocese and the bishop. They promise (not vow, there’s a technical difference) respect and obedience to the diocesan bishop and his successors. They also promise to live in chastity, and according to the status of clergy (which includes a comparatively simple life). Diocesan priests do not make vows, technically speaking, and do not promise poverty. Therefore, they may own their own property, such as cars, and handle their own financial affairs.

I suspect my daughter took a vow of perpetual poverty. She doesn’t seem to mind if I make money….

@seawulf575 That seems to occur in some young folks from the late teens onward. You might remind her that most people who take the vow of poverty also take vows of chastity and obedience, and some even a vow of silence!~