Anglican Vicar: Reviled and Raviolied for Defending the Poor

The Rev Tim Jones, not covered in pasta. 30 tins of ravioli, eh? I bet the local soup run would have appreciated them. Frankly, we Catholics should be jealous that an Anglican is actually experiencing persecution. Let's hope he takes the Holy Father up on his invitation to come over to the Faith and gets spaghettied for the sake of the Gospel in the True Church!

The Guardian reports that...

A priest who advised poor people to shoplift was showered with a bucket of pasta for making the remarks, the Church of England confirmed today. The Rev Tim Jones, from St Lawrence and St Hilda in York, attracted harsh words earlier this month from the police and a former archbishop of Canterbury for telling his congregation it was acceptable for the needy to steal to feed their families.

But there came a very different rebuke last weekend, when a man approached the priest outside the church and threw 30 tins worth of ravioli and spaghetti on him. The contents of the bucket may well have been inspired by Jones himself, who said he would "rather that people take an 80p can of ravioli rather than turn to some of the most appalling things".

Martin Stot, 48, thought the priest's comments could encourage young people to steal and decided to take action. He told York Press: "One theft could be on their record for 10 years. It would be difficult for them to get a job. I was just offended by what he said. I thought I would make my own little protest." He bought the canned pasta from Asda and hid in a phone box until the priest emerged from the regular Sunday service.

In the controversial sermon, given the week before Christmas, Jones said society had failed many needy people and it was far better that they shoplift than turn to more degrading or violent options such as prostitution, mugging or burglary.

Hmm...Sounds fishy. Was the assassin hired by the Chief Executive of Sainsbury's? The mind boggles. I know Anglicans can say some pretty outlandish things but this Anglican priest's comments, while a little irresponsible, for theft is not to be encouraged are, I think, in conformity with orthodox Church teaching and belief. It is not a mortal sin for a starving man to steal a loaf of bread since if he does not eat he will die. That said, I know people who've been literally in the gutter and never stolen anything. St Anthony of Padua said that the gates of Heaven are wide for the poor and narrow for the rich. St Irenaeus said that when the rich give to the poor they are only restoring to them what was stolen from them. St Francis of Assisi encouraged his little flock to beg and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta encouraged the poor to do the same. The trouble is nowadays in the UK begging is often punished and is an arrestable offence. Apparently that is the case even now in Assisi itself who gave the World its most famous son who advised that...

If people insult you and refuse to give you alms, you should thank God for it, because you will be honoured before the judgment-seat of our Lord Jesus Christ for these insults. The shame will be imputed to those who cause it, not to those who suffer it.

In most towns there are soup runs but God's mercy and compassion is overflowing to the poor because society places them in situations of desperation and it is the sins of the rich that creates many temptations for the poor. That isn't Marxist theory - that's the Gospel and the Church has always proclaimed it!