Today, Aug. 11, is the feast of St. Clare of Assisi, the first Franciscan woman and the founder of the Order of St. Clare, also known as the Poor Clares. Clare, a noblewoman, heard Francis of Assisi preach and was captivated by his Gospel lifestyle of poverty and humility. She surrendered her wealth and privileges and took on the habit of the Franciscans. She went on to establish a network of monasteries for women like her who sought to cling only to Christ and to depend on God alone for their sustenance. She embraced Holy Poverty as the key to fulfilling the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She composed her own rule of life for the sisters, modeled after the Rule of St. Francis, and was the first woman to have a rule approved by the Church. She died in the year 1253 and was canonized just two years later.

There are numerous religious communities of Franciscan women in the Church today, many of whom are active in the world and carry on the missionary spirit of Francis of Assisi. In contrast, the Poor Clares are a community of cloistered nuns who live in strict enclosure and whose principal ministry is to contemplate the poor and humble Christ and to seek union with him through work, prayer, and silence. Their witness is a powerful symbol of their total consecreation to God. 

There are a variety of Poor Clare communities around the world. The Capuchin Poor Clare Sisters were founded in 1538 by Venerable Maria Lorenza Longa. The Capuchin Franciscan friars became their spiritual guides and influenced the sisters through their own prayer practices. They were committed to empowering Maria and her fellow Poor Clares to follow Christ more intensely through prayer, austerity, and community.

There is a community of Capuchin Poor Clare sisters in Wilmington, Del., who enjoy the spiritual support of the Capuchin friars of the Province of the Sacred Stigmata. You can read about their community at St. Veronica Giuliani Monastery here. Watch the video below to learn about their way of life.

We pray for them and for all the Poor Clare sisters around the world on the feast of their founder.