This summer I’ve been brewing Starbucks nearly every morning in a two-cup coffee maker that we’ve inherited from our daughter who left it here on a vacation a year or so ago. Having a summer off is a luxury for most folks and it was for me this year. I like my coffee black, aromatic and flavorful and Starbucks provides that better than almost any other blend. I must say that Dunkin’ Donuts does have good coffee too, but I’ve not brewed that at home.
I wasn’t always a Starbucks lover. I’m really indebted to my friend Br. Joe Kotula, OFM who got me going. Joe and I have been on some road trips together for ministry events held at least a couple of times at the St. Francis Springs Prayer Center in North Carolina. Traveling over 500 miles one way to get there provided ample time for a number of stops and more often than not Joe chose a place that served Starbucks. It’s funny how associations form in our minds and in my mind every time I see Starbucks I think of Joe and our trips to North Carolina. When I think of Br. Joe it reminds me of the Franciscans and Peace. Brother Joe is synonymous with peace, connectedness, St. Francis and of course Christ. There is a lot wrapped up in my association with Starbucks and its about peace and all good. Pax et Bonum, the motto of Holy Name Province and of Franciscans everywhere.
As I think about it now it’s all very Franciscan, without preaching a word, Br. Joe and the Holy Spirit formed an association for me with peace and all good and every time I brew a cup of Starbucks it’s a call to holiness. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Ah, but what of Tim Hortons?
I like Tim Hortons and I love butter tarts which used to be sold in the US. I don’t know why Tim Hortons quit selling them here. However, Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee is much better in my opinion. We have a new coffee place over in Ellicottville, NY which has a Canadian origin and it’s franchised and called Coffee Culture. I like their coffee too because it’s more flavorful.
Hi!
I don’t know if you’re familiar with Starbucks’ expansion strategy, but that’s for sure not Franciscan at all:
– open as many Starbucks as possible
– thus destroy the market for all coffe shops and minimalize possible profits (“Saturating the market”)
– wait until the competitors close down
– close down the Starbucks shops that didn’t operate well enough
– now the entire coffee shop market is for the remaining Starbucks
All that is nothing new: look it up at wikipedia.
Starbucks is a corporation and not all corporations are perfect. In this imperfect world I am forced to buy gasoline from folks who destroy our environment. While I don’t approve of what they do I need to power my automobile. I’m grateful that you have added a voice to this discussion. Peace!