On Beggars
“Let’s make it easier to be good.”
That was one of my main takeaways from a recent talk at Assumption, our neighboring parish just across the river. I was there to hear Dr. Kelly Johnson of the University of Dayton. She gave two talks on “Love of Neighbor and the Fear of Beggars.”
I’m curious, you see. I occasionally encounter beggars at our parish office and other spots on our campus. I often see them at street corners. I’ve long wondered what’s the best way to respond.
Dr. Johnson didn’t provide a “one size fits all” way to respond. Rather, she started with church and economic history. She focused in particular on the Catholic Worker movement and its founders, Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day. Among other things, they focused on authentic relationships.
After the talk, there was a question and answer session. I liked how Assumption’s pastor, Fr. Paul Treacy, answered a question about his policy regarding beggars:
- He has no specific policy.
- When you meet someone, ask for their name.
- Listen for stories.
- Acknowledge their dignity.
- Efficient systems don’t necessarily lead to relationships.
Note how these points work well for anyone we meet. Take children, for example. As Dr. Johnson said, children often beg us: for attention, for things, for a relationship. In my roles as an uncle, a teacher, and a parent, I had to figure out how to respond to the children in my life. In classrooms and with family and friends, I wanted to make it easy for the children in my life to be good. I learned names, heard stories, and acknowledged their dignity. (Efficiency wasn’t the point.) It all helped.
Fr. Paul’s points seem like a helpful guide for responding to the strangers we meet, no matter what they’re asking for. (I think they’re also a good guide to voting: which candidates, if elected, will make it easier for us to be good?)
Have a great week!
Phil Grant, Administrator
Safe Environment Coordinator
651-224-9793
Leave a Comment