A really powerful video from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on poverty in the United States. Please take a few moments to watch it.

This is the website for the USCCB's Catholic Campaign for Human Development, where you can find lots of information, statistics, and action ideas for combating poverty in America.

Finally, this is the website for Catholic Relief Services, which is the American branch of the Vatican's charitable wing Caritas. CRS serves the poor throughout the world, and focuses particularly on changing conditions which cause poverty in the first place. They also provide lots of information for Americans who wish to take action beside simply donating money.

One of my favourite books ever has been Umberto Eco's "The name of the rose". A very good book.

There was one controversy in it that's been a big one during the medievals. The question of, did Jesus have property? Historically, the franciscans said no, meaning Jesus only owned things of daily use, such as food and clothing, while most others, particularly the vatican, said yes, that Jesus did own property such as a wallet, with cash. I don't know if this question has ever become resolved.

The bible is pretty clear that the love of money is evil. However, that doesn't quite say that money itself is evil, or that even owning money is evil; although it says that we need to acquire spiritual wealth much more than worldly wealth.

I tend to think that having money is ok, unless you have excessively much of it, such like big business owners. But I'm not gonna feel guilty for the money I have which I get thru disability. First, it's not much, second, I need it, and third, according to the german social contract, I deserve it.

What do you think? (As an aside, if someone could point me to some good biblical quotes on the issue of wealth, I would be very thankful, particularly for OT verses as I think I know the corresponding NT ones.)