For Use, not For Ownership

As a novice in a Catholic religious order, Ronald Rolheiser was taught the importance of religious poverty by having to write “Ad Usam” inside every book he was given. This was to teach him that the book was given to him for his use, not for his ownership. He was a steward, not an owner. And this applied to everything he was given, no matter what. They were only had ad usam.

One of Ronald’s friends, another novice, eventually left the community and pursued a career in medicine. Years later Ronald picked up one of his medical textbooks and found “Ad Usam” inscribed inside it. Asked…