Couple lives the simple life

Originally from Syracuse, the husband-and-wife team once worked at "regular jobs," owned two cars and had such luxuries as an expensive stereo system.

Today, they live in solidarity with the poor, running Albany's Catholic Worker house without salaries.

Change of view

The couple were also influenced by Jesus' call to "live simply and give away many of our possessions," Mr. Boehrer recalled.

Role models like St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare, Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin (the latter two founders of the Catholic Worker movement), who gave away everything to serve the poor, made the couple wonder if they should do the same.

Eventually, they decided to do just that -- to move with their then-infant son to the Albany Diocese and open Emmaus House, where temporarily homeless families could find food, shelter and support.

Choices

One car was sold; the stereo system was given to a day program for people with AIDS. But "the most difficult thing for us was giving up jobs where we were getting paid -- a salary -- and health insurance," Mr. Boehrer stated. "The health insurance was most troubling for us. In some ways, we gave up a certain level of security."

He chuckled as he recalled the Biblical story of the Good Samaritan: "I've been reflecting on that story for years. It's important for us to allow ourselves to be helped by others, to take the perspective of the person in the ditch."

Lifestyle

His discomfort was increased by the fact that the couple deliberately chose not to have Emmaus House receive any government or corporate funding.

"There are persons who've had money who've chosen not to give it to us because they can't get a tax write-off," he explained. He counters these challenges with, "When Jesus told the rich man to go and sell everything he had, He didn't say, `Sell it at a profit.'"

Budgeting

Rent, utilities and the phone bill are priorities for Emmaus House, but "if we're in a situation where a family needs money to pay for medicine for their child and we have the money, it goes toward that," said Mr. Boehrer.

Since family after homeless family lives at Emmaus House, such situations often arise. In July, for example, the father of a family from Mexico needed to return to his native country temporarily to renew a work visa.

"We took what we had and gave it to them for the trip," Mr. Boehrer said. "We didn't have the money to pay the rent and utilities that month, so we sent out a `begging letter' to our supporters, and folks responded to that."

Giving it away

"We distribute it to those in need. We don't save money to plan beyond two months," Mr. Boehrer explained. "It's important not to hoard money or save money when there are so many families in need."

Mr. Boehrer said that they don't regret their decision to live in poverty, but added that it isn't for everyone: "I think each person has to decide for him or herself to what extent their lifestyle reflects what Jesus is calling us to do in the Gospels. Jesus challenges each of us in different ways."

But one thing all Americans need to remember, he said, is "that the average American's lifestyle is really out of range with the rest of the world. We just have way too much stuff -- and it has an effect on poor people in the U.S. and around the world."

Links to poor

"There's an assumption in this country that if you're poor, you're lazy, and that's an assumption we have to break," he noted. "It takes a lot of work to survive if you're poor, because there are no resources."

In addition, "as Roman Catholics, we need to be aware of making money without labor," he said. In things like investing in the stock market, "we're making money off the backs of the poor. There are ethical implications: If one is going to invest money, one needs to reflect on how the profit is being made."

(09-28-00) [[In-content Ad]]