Almsgiving
The practice of giving material aid to the poor and destitute as a Christian duty, exemplified by bishops who spent their own patrimony. Basil gave away his own inheritance during famine; Van der Burch spent not only Church revenues but his personal patrimony.
Preliminaries
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Van der Burch, as canon and priest, assisted the needy "with counsel no less than with alms."
"by assisting the needy with counsel no less than with alms, and by persisting in works of hospitality and mercy"
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Basil relieved famine by opening the granaries of the wealthy and gave away his own inheritance.
"Basil's own brother Gregory of Nyssa adds that at that time Saint Basil also gave away his own personal inheritance to the poor."
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Van der Burch spent his patrimony on charity.
"in these and similar works of charity you have spent not only the revenues of the Church but also your own personal patrimony"
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TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI.
— Van der Burch assisted the poor and wretched with alms and every office of mercy.
"to comfort them, to assist them with alms, and to refresh them with every office of mercy"