Though written during the Great Depression, the following words still ring true today as we go about the business of preparing annual budgets and balancing wants, needs, and the spirit of Franciscan poverty.
“I so dislike to write about financial matters and yet I must do so for some of our convents are very heavily burdened and cause us great anxiety. . . . I have helped all I can with provincial funds but here too we must provide for an enormous amount of interest. . . . I talked it over with Reverend Mother and she advised me to appeal to all of you, especially to the superiors of our parochial schools, to practice economy and encourage ever single Sister to help along. We should take care to give the Sisters good, nourishing food for all must work hard and need substantial meals, but we need not buy the highest quality. . . . The Sisters can help save by not asking for new things when the old would still serve the purpose very well; they can use soap, toothpaste and such things more economically and still be very clean. There should be good light in the chapel, study-room, sewing-room, etc. but by using low-power bulbs in the corridors and cells one can cut down the bills for electricity and still one can see sufficiently well. . . . It would be wrong to purchase new curtains, draperies, linoleum etc. as long as the old can possibly be used. If we observe people of the world today,--how they deny themselves new equipment and conveniences now,--we can learn a lesson. Some of our Sisters make demands this they could never think of were they at home. They must be shown in a kindly way, how at this time of financial strain, we must get along without the latest equipment. The necessary repairs should be made to prevent destruction of our buildings but we should be on our guard to avoid improvements that are not necessary.
“In your monthly meetings with your assistants consider wherein you might be able to cut down expenses. Do not lose courage under the financial strain,--let us draw profit therefrom, pray with great confidence and learn to deny ourselves little comforts not in keeping with Holy Poverty.
“To obtain financial aid we might even have to sell some of institutions, but I doubt whether we would even succeed in finding a buyer at the present time. We shall try also to get a lower rate of interest from those who loaned our institutions money,--but this also is very uncertain. I beg your prayers, that from some source we can obtain relief.”
--from a letter of M. Gerard Zimmermann, November 25, 1932