Once the Saint's vicar, Brother Peter Catani, seeing that St. Mary of the Portiuncula was crowded with friars from other Places and that there were not enough alms to provide them with what they needed, said to St. Francis: "Father, I don't know what to do with so many friars arriving from everywhere! I haven't supplies enough to provide for them. Please allow some of the property of the novices entering the Order to be set aside for our expenses when necessary."
But Francis answered: "Dear Brother, put away that kind of piety which impiously goes against the Rule for the sake of anyone whatsoever!"
And Peter said: "What shall we do?"
St. Francis replied: "Strip the altar of the Virgin and take away its various ornaments, since you canot provide for the needy in any other way. Believe me, the Mother of God would rather have the Gospel of her Son observed and he altar stripped than have the altar adorned and her Son scorned. The Lord will send someone who will restore to His Mother what He has loaned us."
Saint Francis of Assisi
Little Flowers of St. Francis
Part Three - 13
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