The Working Poor

I'll admit that I often do not especially think of the working poor. I walk among and with them daily, yet do not let the poverty into my consciousness. This reality came to me yesterday as I unwrapped the book I need to read in preparation for a conference call and discussion.



This past summer, I spent four days with several hundred Sisters and Associates of a Franciscan community. One of our tasks was to gather with the work/ministry groups that we had chosen several months earlier. I had chosen the "poverty" group. Discussion nearly immediately focused on the working poor. On several occasions, I interjected the need to look beyond monetary and physical poverty. My several suggestions were the poor who are in mourning, feeling disenfranchised, are seriously ill, have no family members and/or are all alone during difficult times. My comments were acknowledged, yet there was no further comment along the lines I had suggested. As our meeting drew to a close, we were reminded to read THE WORKING POOR by November!



Last Sunday, I was honored to celebrate the Eucharist in the parish where I am a priest in residence. The folks who attended the 8 AM Mass voiced their concerns regarding the calling of a new priest. The rector of nine years resigned this past July and the parish administration is in the hands of the vestry and a rota of "supply" priests. The 10 AM folks appeared to be a bit less disturbed by the process of calling an interim priest yet, the atmosphere during the service and coffee hour was subdued.



I see parishioners in similar situations as members of the "poor." This is a poverty of spirit as they worship with a different priest every week. Although the parishes had suffered financially, things had been picking up. Now, all there seems to be is uncertainty. This is hardly an isolated situation. Roman Catholic parishes are struggling with bishops who appoint "Old Rite" priests who want to return the Mass to Latin, turn the altar toward the wall, and sing hymns that have no basis in the changes of Vatican Council II. There is a parish in our community where these reversals of Vatican II have taken place and over 200 parishioners have split from that parish and now worship without a priest.



GLBT women and men continue to find failure to legalize their relationships as marriages. They are denied the richness of open, honest, loving relationships and the support that brings couples. Additionally, they are denied health care insurance, the ability to adopt children, and the involvement of the the other in work community sharing, parties, discussion groups and the like. Gay Roman Catholic priests are not able to be open about their sexual orientation. Despite the recent invitation of the pope to Anglican clergy who are in disagreement with gay/lesbian clergy and women bishops, those gay Anglican dissidents will need to remain hidden lest they find they do not fit into the Roman Catholic Church.



Lesbian Roman Catholic Sisters most certainly are present in many religious communities. The second of a three stage "inquisition" of American Religious Orders of women, questions the membership of lesbians in communities, as well as how often the sisters confess their sins, attend Mass, and other "concerns."



Lastly, I think of my own mother who is nearly 84 years old. She has been a widow for 21 years and she lives in an apartment complex of mostly older single and married women and men. Initially, my sister lived nearby, but she and her husband moved to London and Mom only saw them a couple of times a year. Their six children all saw Grandma's as a hub for connection as they made their ways back and forth from London to Chicago. Now, the only family left in Chicago is one 30+ yr. old grandson and his spouse. They get together for supper occasionally, and Mom is thrilled to still have someone nearby.

Jesus and Francis loved the poor and reached out to them no matter what the source of their poverty. My greatest concern is that we not narrow our view and therefore, exclude all who need our love, support, care and prayers.