The mendicants claimed to be devoted to the care of the poor and would donate their worldly wealth to charity upon joining the order. All well and good, argued William and Gerard, but really effective assistance to the poor requires careful acquisition and management of resources. Charity is a lifelong calling, not something best shown with one spectacular act of self-abnegation. From this point of view, the development of the Franciscan Order to a well-established organization with considerable material assets was advantageous; but it was hypocritical for the friars to present themselves as
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