Saint Clare
Lives of the Saints
by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. edition
[1894]
—ST. CLARE, Abbess.
ON Palm Sunday, March 17, 1212, the Bishop of Assisi left the altar to present a palm to a noble maiden, eighteen years of age, whom bashfulness had detained in her place.
This maiden was St. Clare. Already she had learnt from St. Francis to hate the world, and was secretly resolved to live for God alone.
The same night she escaped, with one companion, to the Church of the Portiuncula, where she was met by St. Francis and his brethren. At the altar of Our Lady, St. Francis cut off her hair, clothed her in his habit of penance, a piece of sack-cloth, with his cord as a girdle. Thus she was espoused to Christ.
In a miserable house outside Assisi she founded her Order, and was joined by her sister, fourteen years of age, and afterwards by her mother and other noble ladies. They went barefoot, observed perpetual abstinence, constant silence, and perfect poverty.
While the Saracen army of Frederick II. was ravaging the valley of Spoleto, a body of infidels advanced to assault St. Clare’s convent, which stood outside Assisi. The Saint caused the Blessed Sacrament to be placed in a monstrance, above the gate of the monastery facing the enemy, and kneeling before it, prayed, “Deliver not to beasts, O Lord, the souls of those who confess to Thee.”
A voice from the Host replied, “My protection will never fail you.” A sudden panic seized the infidel host, which took to flight, and the Saint’s convent was spared.
During her illness of twenty-eight years the Holy Eucharist was her only support and spinning linen for the altar the one work of her hands.
She died in 1253, as the Passion was being read, and Our Lady and the angels conducted her to glory.
Reflection.—In a luxurious and effeminate age, the daughters of St. Clare still bear the noble title of poor, and preach by their daily lives the poverty of Jesus Christ.
Saint Clare, Virgin Memorial Dt 4:32-40/Mt 16:24-28 (411).
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/saints/clare-of-assisi-526
CATHOLICISM SAINTS ST. CLARE OF ASSISI
*Saint Clare – Rubens.
In this artwork by Peter Paul Rubens, St. Clare prays before a crucifix and a skull, calling to mind God’s mercy and her nothingness as a creature.
Clare of Assisi (born Chiara Offreduccio and sometimes spelled Clara, Clair, Claire, Sinclair; 16 July 1194 – 11 August 1253) was an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition, and wrote their Rule of Life, the first set of monastic guidelines known to have been written by a woman. Following her death, the order she founded was renamed in her honor as the Order of Saint Clare, commonly referred to today as the Poor Clares. Her feast day is on 11 August.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_of_Assisi
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.
Is 52:7–8