Franciscan Spirit

“This woman, noble by birth, but nobler by manner of life, eminently preserved the virginity she had already protected from the first under this rule of holiness.” —Papal Decree of Canonization

St. Clare’s life was not easy. From the struggle to follow her religious vocation, to the physical suffering she experienced throughout her life, to the pope’s ongoing resistance to approving her rule for the sisters, she continually pushed forward with ...

For most people, love carries some sort of romantic connotation. Love, though, is much broader than that. A shining example of that is Clare’s love for Christ.

As a member of the noble class, St. Clare had the finest goods available to her—clothes, food, shelter.

“Gaze upon the mirror each day, O Queen and Spouse of Jesus Christ, and continually study your face within it.” —Fourth letter to Agnes of Prague

When Clare left her home, she was completely alone. For a brief time, she met with Francis and his brothers and then took refuge with a community of religious sisters. In essence, however, she was charting her own path.