Pope John XXIII
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Out For A Ride, Terry Nelson, 2010
8" x 8" Acrylic on canvas.
“It hurts my heart when I see a priest or a nun with the latest model of car” he said. And Francis continued saying “cars are necessary. But take a more humble one. Think of how many children die of hunger' and dedicate the savings to them”. - Francis
Not that there is anything wrong with that.
That painting is prophetic. What a meditation!
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteProud to say that painting is displayed in my cube at work, and many have commented how whimsically wonderful they think it is. :) A great conversation starter on faith matters.
ReplyDeleteI hope you will include it in your will to someone who will treasure it when you go. It's very special now that John will be canonized. ;)
DeleteCan you paint one where Michael Voris is driving, and Cardinal Dolan is riding shotgun? With a look of abject fear on his face? Oktnxbai!
ReplyDeleteLOL!
Delete"Not that there is anything wrong with that." Do you mean that? I can't tell if you're joking or not.
ReplyDeleteYes - some people need to supplement their incomes - or earn an income through their blog - to support self or family, keep their house, put food on the table, and so on.
DeleteOn the other hand - I write that line with a sense of irony when it comes to those who ask for donations for luxury items, the best and latest version of smartphone, big screen smart-TV, and other gadgets - that strikes me as a little greedy - but it is their conscience, and people can do as they please with their money.
Gotcha.
DeleteWhen I was in seminary, our rector used to give monthly talks on different aspects of priestly formation and he spoke at least once (but possibly more) on simplicity, specifically mentioning expensive cars, vacations, etc., and the kind of witness that gives.
DeleteFr. Z didn't care for the Pope's remarks about cars, but then, I imagine the mention of smartphones might have struck a nerve.
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ReplyDelete“It hurts my heart when I see a priest or a nun with the latest model of car”
ReplyDeleteWhen the pastor at my old parish was chastised by one of the parishioners for smoking he looked at her and replied, look lady, I gave up sex.
And with giving up sex he also gave up all the wonders and joys that come with children and family.
I find myself annoyed when the seminarians show up at Mass asking for money to improve their comfy lives while I struggle to make ends meet supporting my family while driving a crummy 1991 subaru, but those seminarians also have their cross to bear.
Your story about your priest is an interesting commentary. I know what he meant, but I hope he was just kidding. I used to think the same thing - 'I gave up sex' - as if that was something that assured me of heaven. It's a trap to fall into that mindset.
DeleteI don't understand. If secular priests shouldn't own new cars then lay people shouldn't either. But if lay people and secular priests did not buy new cars then new cars wouldn't be built. I f new cars weren't built eventually all the old cars would wear out and there would be no cars at all. So is the Holy Father essentially saying there should be no cars at all?
DeleteI can't afford a new car, and a lot of priests cannot afford a new car either. My point is that if the Holy Father were talking to secular priests (not just religious), any moral advice of that nature would have to be applicable to lay people as well, in which case the implication was that there should be no cars at all, since the existence of old cars is dependent on the continued manufacture of new cars, since old cars always start their lives as new cars.