Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84Plough Quarterly • Summer   spent his life helping the poor. Following his example, they left behind their personal possessions and started looking for people who needed help. From their beginnings in a troubled South Bronx neighborhood, they have grown to around 130 members, with friaries on three continents. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal living at St. Joseph open their doors every Thursday to share a meal with the hungry. At eleven o’clock, men and women trickle in off the street and find their way down the narrow hall to the dining room. Once everyone is seated at the wooden tables, a gray-robed friar blesses the food and the soup is served. “It is Folish soup,” Father Gabriel explained, handing me a bowl, “because it was made by a postulant from France, and another from Poland.” As we ate, Frank, an older man, was eager to talk. After growing up in Harlem, he’d worked on and off as a security guard, making minimum wage. Now, he said, he lives by himself, sometimes on the streets. “I come to the monks whenever I need some food. I know they’re always gonna be here to help. They’re the only good thing in this whole area.” Across the table from us, another man, Steve, had finished his soup and joined in: “I love coming to see the brothers because they are so hardworking and funny. They pray for people, they visit people, and they are not afraid to live here with us.” When I asked Steve why he thought the friars gave up their former lives to live together in Harlem, he replied, “All these brothers are here because they want to do God’s work and be his messengers. If they weren’t here, who would visit us?” The guests at the soup kitchen were unrestrained in their praise for the friars. They pointed out that volunteers at most soup kitchens travel home to richer, safer areas. By contrast, as Harlem residents, the Franciscans are very much a part of the community they serve. Franciscan friars, who take their vow of poverty quite literally, are perhaps best known for their austerity. Their simple sandals, signature gray habits, and beards make them easy to spot in any crowd. Even the friary’s cars must be modest. When I asked Father Gabriel if giving up one’s phone, credit card, and car keys to become a friar is difficult, he said the vow of poverty is the easiest to keep. Friars become accustomed to a simple lifestyle, he said, and material possessions cease to have much attraction after a time. The hardest rule, according to Father Gabriel, is obedience. As he put it, “conform- ing your whole will to Christ” is not easy in a culture that holds independence in such high regard, and in a city where every billboard and shop window encourages you to be yourself. By joining the community of friars, these men are making a choice to let the Holy Spirit guide their lives. Yes, letting go of the steering wheel is hard, Father Gabriel suggested, but the reward–having brothers who can help guide you–makes it worthwhile. The friars at St. Joseph also take a vow of chastity, opting to remain celibate so that they can serve God more fully. Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, and Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth form the basis of this vow. In 1 Corinthians 7:37, Paul writes that “if a man has the willpower not to marry and decides that he doesn’t need to and won’t, he has made a wise decision” because “an unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him.” Because they don’t have spouses or children, the friars have more time to pray, visit people in need, and serve the poor. According to Father Photograh by Jamal Huleatt