Available Online: 29 June 2020
Author/s:
Candiasan, Mark Ceasar
Theology and Religious Education Department, De La Salle University – Manila, Philippines (mark_ceasar_candiasan@dlsu.edu.ph)
Del Castillo, Fides*
Theology and Religious Education Department, De La Salle University – Manila, Philippines (fides.delcastillo@dlsu.edu.ph)
Abstract:
Evangelical poverty is a core element in the teaching and spirituality of Aloysius Schwartz, priest and founder of the Sisters of Mary and Brothers of Christ. As a member of this institute, there is a need to explore his important ideas on poverty in order to assimilate better his teachings and for readers to understand his message for the world as a spiritual leader and teacher. He himself had practiced what he taught and became a living example of this poverty. The purpose of this research therefore, is to investigate how Aloysius Schwartz understood and taught evangelical poverty based on his writings and heroic life of witness. Using a cross- sectional reading of various works written by Aloysius Schwartz, this study presented his main ideas, thoughts and understanding on what evangelical poverty is all about. Reading the various works of Aloysius Schwartz on evangelical poverty, one can understand how he conceived and defined poverty. For him, evangelical poverty is an encounter with Christ, imitation of Christ and overcoming suffering in union with Christ on the cross. This study definitively answers the question regarding the understanding and thoughts of Aloysius Schwartz on evangelical poverty. Further studies are needed to establish the importance of this ideas and understanding to Catholic theology and spirituality to understand the theological ideas behind his spirituality on poverty.
Keywords: Christ-consciousness; Christ-possession; poverty; sacrament of the poor; self-transformation; spirituality
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2020.5826
Cite this article:
Candiasan, M. C., & Del Castillo, F. (2020). Evangelical poverty, core teaching in the life and spirituality of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz, priest and founder. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 9(4), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2020.5826
*Corresponding Author