We hope you enjoyed the story of Stanley Rother, from Oklahoma to Guatemala! Now, “The Saints: Adventures of Faith and Courage” travels all the way back to the 1200s to a familiar face: Clare of Assisi.
Inspired by the radical poverty Francis of Assisi embraced, Chiara Offreducio – Clare – and her sister Catarina (later Agnes) followed in his footsteps and renounced their own lives of wealth and comfort. Clare had Francis cut her hair off to show she was bound by God and God alone, free from society’s expectations for her. She then founded the Order of Poor Ladies, now known as the Poor Clares. They embraced poverty and the Lord in the Eucharist, with legends saying that Clare even warded off invaders by showing them the Lord in the monstrance!
The chapel of San Damiano became the first center of the Franciscan tradition and the Poor Clares, and Clare spent most of her life within its walls, praying and writing the Rule of Life for her new order. But she and Francis never lost contact; their letters show a passionate friendship, full of love of the Lord and love for each other.
The Rule of Life Clare wrote was approved one day before her death in 1253. She was canonized two years later by Pope Alexander IV and her feast day is August 11th (or 12th, depending on which country you’re in!). Hear about her extraordinary life of simplicity, poverty, and rich faith on Monday, April 15th at thesaintspodcast.com!
