Poverty and Apostolate
Graduation Date
Summer 1958
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Degree Granting Institution
Catholic University of America
Program Name
Humanities
Abstract
Poverty is not the object of a special virtue. The lack of material things — the just not having necessities or even abundance is not in itself virtuous. There is no intrinsic goodness to a privative thing. On the contrary, if it is a privative thing (a lack of a good that should be) poverty is at least a material evil. Not having a place ‘whereon to lay one’s head’, nor money to buy food, ‘nor shoes, nor scrip, nor staff’ considered without relation to a higher end is to he in want. To maintain that to he in want has intrinsic goodness would be to place a contradiction in terms - intrinsic goodness in non-being The object of a virtue - the matter about which it is concerned - must be some- I thing praiseworthy in itself. As a matter of fact the very excellence of a virtue is determined by that object. Material things, worldly possessions, even great wealth are good in themselves. Indeed they may be consonant with perfection. Abraham possessed great wealth the Scriptures tell us. Christ did not condemn the possession of worldly goods. Patristic tradition condemns the opponents of private property. External riches are necessary for the good of virtue, St. Thomas says, since by them we support the body and help others. Riches are good for some who use them for virtue. And in so far as poverty removes the good resulting from riches, namely the assistance of others and one’s own support, it is simply an evil. How then is poverty a good thing?