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2. THE VIRTUE OF POVERTY The Virtue of Poverty is an evangelical virtue,
which inclines the heart of a Christian to detach
itself from all affection to temporal goods.
This virtue is obligatory for a Religious and
she may sin against the Virtue of Poverty even
without violating the Vow.
1. For a Religious the first manner of sinning
against the Virtue of Poverty would be to fix her
affections or regrets on what she has sacrificed,
or to cherish willingly desires for things which are not given her
and which do not suit her profession. Remark, however, that a formal sin against
the
tenth Commandment would be a violation of her
Vow, because the interior act of culpable desire
puts on the malice and species of the exterior act.
2. The second manner of wounding the Virtue
of Poverty would be to attach one's self irregularly, even to an object allowed for her use. The
little value of the object is not an excuse, for it
is the affection that makes the disorder, and this
affection is the more pitiful the smaller or meaner
the value of the object.
This is the reason why in well-conducted Communities a Religious is scarcely ever allowed to
keep in her possession objects of which she is
still proprietor, especially if there is question of
money.
3. The third manner of failing in the Virtue
of Poverty is to keep for use superfluities or anything too precious for the Religious condition.
And it does not belong to individuals to judge of these as they
think: These points are usually defined by the Rules, or by declarations of Superiors.
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