Who was St. Laurence, and why do we have a page devoted to him?  

Laurence was a deacon in Rome in the mid-Third Century, AD.   In those days, deacons were responsible both for Church finances and for caring for the poor.  It is important to us that the ancient vision of the Church linked these two roles inextricably.

Also in those days, the Church, which had been growing steadily for 200 years, had begun to acquire property: buildings, fine vestments, and vessels of silver and gold.  It was, from time to time, persecuted for its different vision of what life could be.  During one of those persecutions under the Emperor Valerian in 258, Roman authorities ordered Laurence, as a deacon, to produce the "treasures of the Church."  He returned at the appointed time having gathered the city's poor together and proclaimed, "These are the treasures of the Church."   This act of defiance led directly to his martyrdom on August 10, 258.   Today, the Church still keeps August 10 as the Feast of Laurence, Deacon and Martyr at Rome.

At Love Must Act, we are inspired by, and strive to share, St. Laurence's vision.  We see ourselves as holding all our assets as trustees for the poor and we expect to be held accountable for that.