Saturday, August 27, 2011

Franciscorps Visits the Monastery

The Franciscorps , directed by Friars Jim and Rick visited our Monastery so that we could learn about their new ministries and for them to learn our way of life.
All the young men and women are college graduates who have given one year to the service of the Poor.
Our Faith is enriched by their witness
of commitment.
We continue to pray for them.

Capuchin Poor Clares of Wilmington, DE join us to celebrate 800 Years of Clare Heritage

We began our celebration with a prayer service followed by a delicious dinner
prepared by Sisters Fran, Etta, Nelia and Karen.
We had lively discussions at the dinner table about our way of life and everyone went away enriched by the day.

Visitors in August

Friar Frank Walter visit us from Rome.
Father Resti celebrates his 20th anniversary of Ordination to the priesthood with us. Father Peter Cebulka joined in the celebration.

Friar Steve Kluge OFM blesses the grave markers for Sisters Marge and Shirley

Friar Steve blesses the grave markers
during a prayer service in the cemetery of The Poor Clare Sisters in Chesterfield, NJ

Friday, August 12, 2011

August the 11, Feast of Saint Clare

Evening Prayer,on the Feast of Saint Clare, was celebrated with the Friars and The Divine Word Community. Our Bordentown Knights of Columbus and Lady Yolanda, provided a festive meal for our guests and for us. The Knights have been doing this for over 35 years and we are most grateful to them.
At 7:00 PM all our friends joined us for the Eucharist. Friar Kyle Haden once again gave a very
meaningful reflection on being true to our identity and making Jesus the person we identify with each day.

August 10- Our Transitus of St. Clare


August 10th, at 7:00PM, The Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) joined us to celebrate the death and passing of our Foundress, Saint Clare.
Friar Kyle Haden OFM, from the Holy Name of Jesus Province, shared his reflections on Saint Clare telling us that Clare, along with us, had to find her true identity by surrounding ourselves with friends and relatives that have the same value system.
One true friend for Clare was Jesus. So as Clare was dying she was able to say to her soul,

"Go in peace, my soul, because you will have a good escort.
The One Who created you
has made you holy.
The One Who created you
has infused the Holy Spirit in you
and then guarded you
as a mother does her littlest child. "
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Feast Day Greetings




Secluded but monitoring the world -
Our Poor Clare Life



We are preparing for the Feast of Saint Clare and we hold you all in prayer for all your loved ones, living and deceased.

Happy Feast to all our Brothers and sisters Throughout the world.
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Friday, August 5, 2011

Prayer to Saint Clare

O good and gracious God, we thank you for all that you have done for us.
Through the intersession of Saint Clare who, in her life time healed many
people, heal all our loved ones in body and spirit. Keep them in peace and joy.
We ask this through your Son and our Brother, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

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Secluded but Monitoring the World- The Poor Clare Life

St. Clare of Assisi
Foundress of the Order of Poor Ladies, or Clares, and first Abbess of San Damiano; born at Assisi, 16 July, 1194; died there 11 August, 1253.

She was the eldest daughter of Favorino Scifi, Count of Sasso-Rosso, the wealthy representative of an ancient Roman family, who owned a large palace in Assisi and a castle on the slope of Mount Subasio. Such at least is the traditional account. Her mother, Ortolana, belonged to the noble family of Fiumi and was conspicuous for her zeal and piety.

From her earliest years Clare seems to have been endowed with the rarest virtues. As a child she was most devoted to prayer and to practices of mortification, and as she passed into girlhood her distaste for the world and her yearning for a more spiritual life increased. She was eighteen years of age when St. Francis came to preach the Lenten course in the church of San Giorgio at Assisi. The inspired words of the Poverello kindled a flame in the heart of Clare; she sought him out secretly and begged him to help her that she too might live "after the manner of the holy Gospel". St. Francis, who at once recognized in Clare one of those chosen souls destined by God for great things, and who also, doubtless, foresaw that many would follow her example, promised to assist her. On Palm Sunday Clare, arrayed in all her finery, attended high Mass at the cathedral, but when the others pressed forward to the altar-rail to receive a branch of palm, she remained in her place as if rapt in a dream. All eyes were upon the young girl as the bishop descended from the sanctuary and placed the palm in her hand. That was the last time the world beheld Clare. On the night of the same day she secretly left her father's house, by St. Francis's advice and, accompanied by her aunt Bianca and another companion, proceeded to the humble chapel of the Porziuncula, where St. Francis and his disciples met her with lights in their hands. Clare then laid aside her rich dress, and St. Francis, having cut off her hair, clothed her in a rough tunic and a thick veil, and in this way the young heroine vowed herself to the service of Jesus Christ. This was 20 March, 1212.

Clare was placed by St. Francis provisionally with the Benedictine nuns of San Paolo, near Bastia, but her father, who had expected her to make a splendid marriage, and who was furious at her secret flight, on discovering her retreat, did his utmost to dissuade Clare from her heroic proposals, and even tried to drag her home by force. But Clare held her own with a firmness above her years, and Count Favorino was finally obliged to leave her in peace. A few days later St. Francis, in order to secure Clare the greater solitude she desired, transferred her to Sant' Angelo in Panzo, another monastery of the Benedictine nuns on one of the flanks of Subasio. Here some sixteen days after her own flight, Clare was joined by her younger sister Agnes, whom she was instrumental in delivering from the persecution of their infuriated relatives. Clare and her sister remained with the nuns at Sant' Angelo until they and the other fugitives from the world who had followed them were established by St. Francis in a rude dwelling adjoining the poor chapel of San Damiano, situated outside the town which he had to a great extent rebuilt with his own hands, and which he now obtained from the Benedictines as a permanent abode for his spiritual daughters. Thus was founded the first community of the Order of Poor Ladies, or of Poor Clares, as this second order of St. Francis came to be called.