📹 Is Fashion Always Vain? Can Catholics Have a Personal Style? (feat. Lillian Fallon)
When you put time and effort into your appearance, are you being vain? Does interest in fashion make you materialistic?
Can you be a nun if you have children?
Women interested in becoming nuns must meet specific requirements set by each faith and order. For instance, Catholic nuns must be at least 18 years old, single, have no dependent children, and have no debts. Buddhist nuns must be free from family and monetary obligations. Women undergo a discernment process, which typically takes one or two years, including speaking with nuns, visiting convents, attending retreats, and praying. This process can now be partially conducted online through email, matching services, or virtual retreats.
Once a woman decides to become a Catholic nun, she applies to join a specific order through an aspirancy, a two to four-week period where she lives with other nuns. If accepted, she is accepted into a postulancy. After several months of living and taking classes, a prospective nun enters a novitiate, where she takes her first vows and takes her final vows after three years.
Can a non virgin girl become a nun?
While a woman is not required to be a virgin to become a sister, she must first demonstrate her ability to live a healthy and happy life as a celibate woman before she can be seriously considered for entrance. Parents seeking further information on the subject of church vocations are encouraged to contact the National Religious Vocation Conference.
Do nuns stay celibate?
Celibacy is a religious practice in the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy traditions. Bishops must be unmarried men or widowers, and married men cannot become bishops. Most priests in Latin Church Catholicism and some Eastern Catholic Churches are celibate men, with exceptions for priests from the Lutheran Church, Anglican Communion, and other Protestant faiths. In most Orthodox traditions and some Eastern Catholic Churches, married men may be ordained priests, but they cannot marry after ordination.
The rule of clerical celibacy is not an unchangeable dogma, but a rule that can be adjusted if the Church deems it appropriate. The Christian church forbids voluntary physical castration since the first ecumenical council, and the alleged self-castration of theologian Origen was used to discredit him.
Do nuns wear habits anymore?
After the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, Assisi Heights experienced significant changes in their dress, including the introduction of new styles and designs of the traditional habit. Shorter-length dresses and veils were introduced, but eventually, all Sisters refashioned with secular clothing. Reactions to this change were split into two major groups worldwide. One side wanted the change implemented quickly, while the opposing side aimed to halt the Council’s forward move and push its changes backward, particularly regarding liturgies. Young women sought a more rigid lifestyle and identity, as it provided security.
What is the difference between a nun and a sister?
Nuns and sisters are often used interchangeably, but they differ in their roles. Nuns spend their lives in prayer and work within their convent, while sisters are more active in the world, often working for those in need. Both are women religious, but they share the commonality of taking vows to God, living in community, and dedicating themselves to God for life. The Sisters of Mercy, founded by Catherine McAuley in 1831, were a notable example of this.
They were known as “walking nuns” in Dublin, Ireland, who visited the sick and poor, visiting homes and hospitals. They are technically sisters, an apostolic community of women who combine prayer with active ministry. They continue to walk, embodying the spirit of their founders.
What do nuns wear everyday?
The habit, a religious clothing style worn by members of a religious order, is essentially the same worldwide. The monastic color is black, symbolizing repentance and simplicity. Monks and nuns wear identical habits, with nuns wearing a scarf called an apostolnik. These habits have evolved over time due to changing interpretations of terms in religious rules and the need for visual separation in new and old communities. Modern habits are rooted in historic forms but do not necessarily resemble them in cut, color, material, detail, or use.
In Christian monastic orders of the Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican Churches, the habit often consists of a tunic covered by a scapular and cowl, with a hood for monks or friars and a veil for nuns. In apostolic orders, it may be a distinctive cassock for men or a habit and veil for women. Catholic Canon Law requires that the garb of members be identifiable to serve as a witness of the Evangelical counsels.
Do nuns wear bras?
The ensemble comprises black lace high-cut silk panties, a coordinating brassiere, stockings, a black lace suspender belt, and ornate suspenders.
Why can’t Catholics use tampons?
The author reflects on her experiences with tampons, a topic that has been deeply ingrained in religious and cultural conservatism worldwide. After the invention of tampons in 1929, Catholic priests denounced unmarried women’s use of tampons, believing they compromised virginity. This practice has been frowned upon or considered sinful in various Christian denominations and strictly religious Jewish and Muslim households.
However, in the US, tampons are generally accepted for women and girls of all ages. Author Hanna Blank explains that while tampon manufacturers have occasionally tried to address concerns about virginity, it has become relatively rare for contemporary First World women to question the suitability of tampon use for any women of menstruating age.
The author, who was in the “First World” at 15, was frustrated by her hymen, a concept that she had been familiar with since she was 10. She was well-versed in the idea of virginity as a concept and not a tangible, measurable thing. As a gymnast since childhood, she was aware that her hymen was no longer intact, but since hymens aren’t reliable ways to gauge “virginity”, this didn’t matter much to her.
Do nuns have to cover their hair all the time?
Eastern Orthodox nuns wear an apostolnik head covering, which distinguishes them from Eastern Orthodox monks. In Oriental Orthodox Christianity, Coptic women historically covered their heads and faces in public and in the presence of men. In the 19th century, upper-class urban Christian and Muslim women in Egypt wore a garment called harabah, which included a head cover and a burqa (muslin cloth covering the lower nose and mouth).
Unmarried women wore white veils, while married women wore black. The practice began to decline by the early 20th century. The Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCH) enjoins the wearing of a headcovering for a woman as “Proper Attire in Church”.
Can nuns use deodorant?
It is evident that the provision of personal and hygiene items is a common general need. Such items include, but are not limited to, toothpaste, dental floss, deodorant, soap, and shampoo.
Do nuns use sanitary pads?
A total of 87 cases were examined, and it was found that 95% of them involved the aforementioned issue. A total of 5% of the nuns surveyed indicated that they used sanitary pads, while 11% reported using napkins, cloths, or towels.
📹 Clothing Ceremony 2022
On the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary 2022, Lucy received the Holy Habit of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Healing Love …
Thank you! This article has meant a lot to me. I love fashion, I love clothing, I love art, I love visual expression and I especially love my Catholic Faith. I struggled with the connection between it all. . You have completely brought peace to this internal conflict and have helped me see things in a new light. Thank you.
What I wear affects my way to interact with others, including my husband. It elevates my mood and my confidence. During mass as well, it has even oppress me from taking communion because I felt that I was been disrespectful to the Eucharist and other parishioners. Do not run from the beach to mass ever again!
Funny you talk about this! I make most of my clothes because I’m a difficult fit ( short but curvy). I love dresses and wear them most often, and I design my own and I put effort into design. I don’t do revealing things, but I love classic beauty, like velvet or a beautiful color. I often use my clothing to make myself feel better, or going to work, dressing for my patients or colleagues. I was surprised one day when my sister remarked that my style was glamorous, because I never thought of myself that way….I never reached that far in my self assessment. I was so blessed by her saying that. Fashion was not high in our mother’s opinion when we were growing up, so we started late in the fashion department. Thank you so much for posting this, good to have one of my favorite Saint’s opinions mentioned also! He was such an inspiration to me💙💜
“Personal style is just a tool. It does not define your worth… However, the things that you wear can help you understand your worth.” Thank you for that simple but critical distinction! I believe that dressing confidently and wearing things that make me feel good/comfortable do help my self-image and how I present myself. (I’m more likely to be in a better mood and more motivated when I dress smartly than when I’m wearing a hoodie and baggy pants.) At the same time, it’s all too easy to compare my own wardrobe with what other people are wearing (around me or on social media), and conflate the “value” of my clothes (not so much in money but in appearance) with the infinite value of my personhood. I love what you said about deliberately dressing down sometimes to remind yourself that your worth is not tied to your clothing.
Lot’s of kids don’t like dressing up to school anymore. Thoughts? Lot’s of kids following trends, too, opposed to expressing their identity through Christ. Definitely some kids do express identity with clothes, though, but not through Christ, but often via school cliques. Like population kids wear this, and LGBT kids wear that, etc.
You are, through Baptism, an adopted child of God. A Prince or a Princess in the Court of Heaven. Every Church is the House of God and God made us for beauty. Wear your best to greet the King, especially on Sundays. It might not always be possible during the work week…but Christ always comes first. It’s all about the calling. The young man was called to be an Apostle…and he chose his possessions over what God had planned for him. St Louis and Zelie Martin always dressed according to their station.
I am very conscious of what I wear, especially to mass at a Traditional Monastery. Love clothes too, my wardrobe is mostly thrifted, and I often get compliments. At age 49, after having 7 kids, I am finally giving to myself and even enjoy getting selfies to show off my outfits… Having the time of my life! Love your dress and sure your wardrobe is DREAMY!! I think exactly like every word you said. Thank you, Lillian…I want to follow you and will share these thoughts w my mom’s group bc I like to talk about fashion too!!
In what I have learned from my catholic school,and spiritual seminars,specially your attending mass service if you believe that we are attending of the banquet celebration of the king of kings and that’s is Jesus we should wear a formal dress. For me wearing dress we should match where we going to.problem some woman wearing sexy short and there going to mass service..it’s giving temptation to eyes of the priest we are not the beach,or disco..and etc. Going to church ladies we should modest,if we ere trying to imitate mother Mary .. And for me I love to wear white looks like an Angel.good for you sister sharing with this.. Ladies we should wear like modesty with morality and dignity.Amen🙏🏻Glory to God🙏🏻
Brilliant article! I’m in university and I’ve been thinking a lot about expression lately, particularly how attitudes have changed from wearing suits and uniforms to… basically anything. I’m trying to have a Catholic presence with my fellow club members and want to develop my wardrobe to reflect who I want to be. Being deliberate with fashion shows a level of care, that what we’re doing is of value and worth dressing up for.
I design, make the patterns and sew all the clothes for myself. Which means, I put a LOT of time and effort into how I look. And I didn’t want to be vain. I had aceually more trouble with this before I came bak to the church… It all fell into place soon after I went back. All the care I put into the proportions, the optical appeal and the finding of the right materials, is a praising of beauty in itself. Beauty comes from God, so it is kind of a subtle worship in itself, to care so much for beauty. What I should not do, is using the beauty to raise and praise myself. But as long as my goal is to bring beauty to others, to praise God instead of myself, all is fine. You see it in the smiles of the people. Some faces really light up with a smile! This smile can only come from God, so I should not bury my talent but use it, to bring people to God in even so subtle ways as showing them beauty to the extent of my ability. And the strangest thing happened… my face really aged backwards…. my jawline got softer, the wrinkles on my forehead less deep, the wrinkles around the eyes also… God gave me a makeover! How amazing is that! I guess he has His reasons, but I’m thankful. Our God truly is amazin. Everything we gift him, he takes and transforms and makes better… and then gifts it back to us…
Thanks for this article. You’re the answer to my prayers. I’ve been praying to God that if he wanted me to use my medical training to to help people deal with acne then let me know. I’ve avoided mass producing my formulation and only used it for families and friends because I thought it was vanity but as I encounter more patients who were suicidal and depressed just over acne something kept tugging at my heart but there was this other voice that said “Don’t do it it’s a vainity” and then there’s the other voice that says “Use your natural talents to help these people. Heal.” And then up pops your article. Thank you!
Some interesting comments I found myself agreeing with. After many years, I recently moved back to my home town – which happens to be a university town. The change was like night and day, particularly with regard to how the girls dress. And how the druggies/homeless have decimated the commercial areas of what was once a beautiful city. Seemingly unrelated facts, but they are both symptoms of serious moral decay. If you’ve been away from a city for years, you notice things that people who have been there all the time don’t. Kind of like the frog-in-boiling-water principle. The first thing I noticed was the the almost homogeneous way the girls dress. Bra-tops and short, short pants. It’s almost like a uniform, conscripted in you know whose army. Heck, I went out to mass (past the homeless druggies passed out on the cathedral steps, near the university) a couple of nights ago. It was chilly so I needed a sweater and jacket, but the girls (literally throngs because it was frosh week) still donned their standard uniforms. What gets my goat though is when they show up to mass, and even worse, when we have girls in dance leotards and guys in dirty sneakers, as Eucharistic ministers giving out communion.
The habit doesn’t make the monk. There is no such thing as “a” Catholic style. Jesus welcomed every nation and culture to his flock, regardless of attire. Modesty has infinite styles. And yes, clothes do matter. We live in society, nuns, priests, monks, presumptive designers and nurses, among everyone else. Not having a uniform is also a social choice. Catholic designers: De la Renta, Valentino, Carolina Herrera, Coco Chanel… Gucci. Their designs are universal, they are or were imperfect Catholics. That’s Catholic style.
I started wearing different clothes recently, for very similar reasons (also I think it has a big effect on social success)… but I can’t help but notice the “made in (third world country with no labor laws)” on every tag… personally I’d prefer to live in a world where I I don’t have to choose between public nudity and enabling exploitation of child labor.
I lived in Manhattan when i was younger and knew women who were designers (i worked and lived in the Wall Street area). It was an ugly business. Ideas were regularly stolen. You made a good choice not to go that way. When you are starting out all of your ideas belong to the designer you worked for and you did grunt work. A friend’s job was to examine and chose fabrics to go with the designs but she was stuck literally counting the number of threads per square inch on a piece of fabric. It was all important even down to the number of threads.
Greetings Lady Lillian, Good, Simplified Thoughts about Garments Wear signifies Men and Women in their Own True Self. “Appropriate Clothing defines the Core Value of Oneself in every aspects”. Key Thoughts : Western Classic Ethnic Wear display Elegance with Dignity in all aspects. Facial Makeup also comes under Materialistic Concern. Kindly Check with Local Parish of Your Concern. Take Care. With regards with Prayers for Everyone, RanjithJoseph (R.J)
Peace be with you! “If the body manifests the soul, why can’t the things we wear aid in this expression of the human person?” you wrote and said. Look, I understand and respect your point of view but according to me that’s NOT the RIGHT question. The RIGHT question should be: “If the body manifests the soul, how can I express myself the right way in all HUMILITY, knowing that GOD LOVES me, without any SPECIAL dress?” I suggest you to read those two passages of the Bible, too: “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1Samuel 16:7); “And why do you worry about clothes? (Mattew 6:28). MODESTY and SIMPLICITY, fruits of HUMILITY are the key words.
I love clothes too. The summer in Southern California is so hot. We need lightweight clothing that doesn’t break rules like too short, tight, slit, or low, but also not covering every inch of skin either. Moderate clothing would be nice. 🥵 Western civilization has so many hobbies too so clothes can be crazy different. For instance I’m a sporty romantic military type. One day it’s adidas shorts and a workout shirt. Next it’s a flowy dress. Another day it’s jeans shorts, a tank, and carrying pepper spray. 😂 What I find more confusing is if it’s appropriate to wear a nice outfit in the middle of a war. I think so in this case cuz part of the communist war on us is to degrade humankind so when we elevate ourselves, we help elevate others or create the space for them to do so.
That’s what I needed. I recently (for 2 years) I have been trying to get rid of all of my clothes and stay only with black thsirt and black jeans. Firstly I didn’t want to get attached to so down to earth things. And it refers even to my furniture, like I want to get rid of everything. But now I’m starting to think that maybe the condition of my soul has something to say. I am very lost recently and maybe I thought it will make me free somehow. But I have less and less and nothing changes. But I do not particularly feel a need to wear anything else.. That’s hard. And I’ve never based my worth on my looks. Pray for me I don’t know where I’m heading lately.
The word “fashion” connotes trend. I’m not into “fashion” if by it I mean following sartorial trends. It is poor financial stewardship because sartorial fashion changes through the months and years. Besides, if I am my own person, why would I want to look like everybody else who is wearing the same style because they’re following the current trends? I have been wearing prescription Rayban wayfarers for donkey’s years because I like the geek chic style, regardless of whether it is currently in fashion or not. And I wear clothes that fit me. The current trend is oversize, but I don’t like oversize and that’s it. I will not wear something that I don’t like and don’t feel comfortable in even though it may be trendy to do so. One last thing. As Christians, it is not so much that we cannot want to look good vis-a-vis dress well but that we should be chaste, and to do so is to dress modestly.
What is the Catholic design company you mentioned? Also thank you for this article—my daughter, who is 6, has begun to love fashion and has decided that showing her belly looks beautiful. While she’s not allowed to dress like that, it gave me an inspiration in how to address this, which is to take her shopping to buy some things for her that she really loves and feels beautiful in, but that are modest and appropriate for her age. 😊
Great article. Having said that, could Catholic people just stop using the word ‘obsessed’? It’s worse than ‘adoring’ things. It would be nice to have a article on how the demonic sneaks into today’s language. E.g. ‘my demons’, ‘the demons in one’s head’, being ‘obsessed’ with sth, ‘my spirit animal’, etc. Thank you!
In my neighborhood, in a small city in Spain, there was a Catholic family with five daughters, all of them older than me except one. They all used to dress in a fantastic fashionable way, nothing provocative but quite fashionable, elegant, and sometimes it could be described as posh. Very often I felt the need to try to meet and speak to the younger daughter, quite gorgeous and impeccably dressed. The fact that I used to dress quite modestly and humbly, I was hugely scared to meet her and be immediately rejected by the way I dressed and looked, compared to the way she dressed and looked. Although she and her sisters dressed impeccably, quite often being overdressed scares people like me, who dress way more humbly.
I find it hard sometimes feeling good about myself at all when I’m such a relentless sinner! I never used to dress well, in fact I dressed so people wouldn’t look at me when I was younger. I’ve started wearing dresses to mass now and it does feel better, I don’t feel like I’m fighting with myself so much!
THE GOSPEL Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: – 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4 KJV Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:13 KJV SAVALATION For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. – John 3:16 KJV For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 3:17 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. – John 14:6 KJV Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:10 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. – Isaiah 53:5 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
I was perusal a Matt Walsh article about an advertisement that had a child dress in drag; obviously Walsh was furious about it. The most-upvoted comments were all saying ‘lol it’s just fabric dude chill’, or something to that effect. I’m sure, however, that everyone who said or agreed with such a thing also believes it’s a tremendously important event when Harry Styles continues to cross-dress. This selective cultural blindness on the significance of clothing, or of food (including the Eucharist, obviously), or the words you use, is especially frustrating when you know there are dignified and beautiful ways to use these with respect, to elevate yourself and others — and yet the popular consensus aims specifically to denigrate those things by inverting those standards. There needs to be a mass reawakening to the spiritual and symbolic significance of the material: they are NOT two irreconcilable aspects of reality. They were Created to fulfill each other.
Ok, I’m a little confused…Doesn’t Jesus say that in order to find him and the Kingdom that we have to lose ourselves? And don’t the saints all focus on losing and denying themselves in order for Christ to fully manifest in them? I’m new to this, but this is seeming so contradictory. Is there someone who can explain this to me?
I believe very close to some of these ideas. I believe that God gives us laws (out of love and concern), and none of them are necessarily physical/temporal or spiritual, since they are inseparably connected as evidenced in the nature of mortality and our bodies. I love what one of my heroes said when he said that the physical and the spiritual are two sides of the same coin and cannot be separated. This shift or reframing of these principles helped resolve some unsettledness about why my church as an organization spends money the way that they do and other similar things.
When I was in my late twenties (I’m in my 40s now) I got rid of all the clothes, coats and shoes that I loved most …. It was hard but freeing … I still love clothes and have a new wardrobe … so it doesn’t mean I no longer wear nice clothes, it just means I am not attached to them. Making that strong sign of getting rid of them with God’s help (as they were so important to me when I was younger) helps me put things in perspective and realise that I am not defined by the clothes I wear.
Thank you for the article, so helpful. I was wondering if anyone knows a good resource for learning more about the theology of work? Because I love the theology of the body and its great how you are applying it to fashion but I am having a hard time gaining insight into the theological and spiritual meaning of work
Every thing we do matters. Not all things in the same way. When it comes to things other than the law (10 commandaments) motive matters. And only God really knows our motives. When it comes to the 10 commandments, like killing for example, then we can all agree that killing is wrong. With things we cannot judge like what we wear, It can be right and it can be wrong. But only God can judge because he knows our motives. Some people may worship fashion? PEOPLE DON’T WORSHIP WHAT THEY BOW TO, PEOPLE WORSHIP WHAT CONSUMES THEIR HEARTS.
Thank you for this article, I found it super helpful! I’ve been struggling with self-worth for some time now, and my love of fashion and dressing well dipped significantly. I thought, what does it matter? Surely I am the same person whether I dress in a vibrant dress or just leggings and a jumper? Perhaps I should have known, over time me thinking it didn’t matter led to me not caring, and subsequently not caring about myself and what this says about me to others. The negative self-talk, which I still struggle with now, became a vehicle for uninterest in other things in life, things I used to love. I also felt I only had permission to dress feminely on Sundays for Mass because I wasn’t then afraid to identify as a woman. But perusal this article, I know that to be wrong. What we wear does matter, and can be a joyful expression of the soul. I know I always feel stronger and more powerful as a person when I put effort in, so it’s been incredibly useful to hear a solid, Catholic perspective on that. You’ve also boosted my mood, thank you Lillian! 🙏
You are bold, I like that about you. There was a time in my life, I didn’t really care a lot about wear. Coming from a culture background, I slowly but surely saw how it affected my emotions, health and expressed my faith. I’m an introvertly joyous person, which can be really reserved at times. I like to have fun, but most importantly how to and I think that is one key component of expressing through us. Knowing what to wear and how to wear it. From wearing jeans and a t to wearing a collar shirts and carrying how I look. Something that allowed me to express myself more freely was knowing my faith in the truth of my heart and NOT fearing if I did something out of the norm.
I think we should look honestly at the real danger of vanity. What are our real deep down intentions however subtle. Is it showing off stylish clothes? Feeling more accepted with nicer clothes? I am not sure JP II had clothes in mind. Clothes are a result of original sin… What about if you have no money for nice clothes ? Stlyish clothes tends to be more expensive. Someone may simply wish to be discreet with simplemente clothes. Psalm 93,5 “holiness adorns your house”. P.s. that is a very nice dress🙂
Kindly note Ms. Lillian Fallon, when you are trying to quote a saint and explain the truth, please, do so after prayer, hours of prayer before the Eucharist. *”The body manifests the soul”, a true statement, how is that?… look at a new born infant, and look at the naked Jesus at the cross, in these bodies, naked bodies, you could see the magnificent beauty of their souls*. Mother Teresa an European nun, changed her attire to a Bengali traditional saree, Mahatma Ghandhi a highly British educated lawyer, practicing at South Africa relinquished his Western clothes and remained half naked the rest of his life, did their bodies manifest less of their souls? Fashion clothing, (that too, not at exorbitant price,) at the time of wedding, at the time of special occassions are needed, however, when they become a needless necessity as we see in the modern society, whatever justification, one may give may lead one’s soul astray. Please pray, pray with tears all the time of your life, to understand and interpret truths. Let us grow in Christ. 🙏
This really isn’t that complicated. Dressing well, wearing what you find to be beautiful and what works in your social contexts: not vain. A closet full of clothing you don’t need: definite issues with overconsumption, maybe vanity, maybe an addiction. Definitely a spiritual unwellness. Lord have mercy can Christianity please be about Christ? This vapid content will only create more bad Christians.
ALL IS VANITY Saint Luke 14:33 In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple. Saint Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Saint Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. “If we had any possessions, we would need weapons & laws to defend them.” Saint Francis