A joyfully Franciscan view of Catholic life, inspired by St. Clare (Santa Chiara) of Assisi!

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Chiara Offreduccio (St. Clare) was born in 1194. It is said that when her mother had Chiara in her womb, an angel appeared to her and said, "your child will be a light that will illuminate the world!" Hence, her mother named the child Chiara, which means "light. As G.K. Chesterton put it, St. Clare was a romantic figure just like Juliet was. However, instead of running away from her family in order to be with an earthly man, Clare gave up everything and ran away from her family for the love of her Savior!

Monday, October 16, 2006

The Chicago Poor Clare Colettines


If you happen to be in the Chicagoland area, be sure to visit one of the newest Poor Clare Colettine communities! You might recall from Mother Mary Francis' A Right to be Merry that this is the monastery in Chicago that the Poor Clares left in order to found a new cloister in Roswell, NM. In 2000, Cardinal George of Chicago invited them back to re-found a monastery in the area- and Mother Mary Francis was to be their abbess! In the picture above, can't you just see the joy and serenity abounding from their faces?!

The website is simple in layout, but the text is very poetic and beautifully written. For those of you who think you might be called to the consecrated life, please read these words taken directly off the Chicago Poor Clares website:

"A vocation is a free gift of God. It is offered, not forced. God invites, but He does not compel; and eternity will reveal how many vocations have been lost or disregarded. The rich young man in the Gospel was assuredly called, but he did not respond. He had a vocation, but he chose not to follow it. The Gospel says that "...he went away sad" (Mt 19:22). Doubtless he remained sad for the rest of his life.

God does not choose a young woman because she is good, but because He is so good. The one who thinks herself qualified to be a great success in the cloister is probably the one who will fail, whereas the one who is confused and humbled at the idea that God should look towards such poor material as herself for the fashioning of a contemplative nun is likely to persevere."

The Poor Clare's website can be found here, but if you happen to be in the vicinity, I suggest you pay them a visit as soon as you can find the time!

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good to hear about the new communities!

1:28 PM  
Blogger Chris Dickson, F.L.A. said...

I just love all those smiles! What a change of pace from all those gloomy pusses far too many religious wear...you can tell these women are filled with the Holy Spirit!

9:16 AM  
Blogger Kelly Joyce Neff said...

All those prayers for new vocations are working... =)
Thank you Chiara

8:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, to love St. Clare as well as to live in Williamsburg! It can't get any better than that!!!!!

Mary's Friend

8:09 PM  

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