St clare of montefalco biography

St. Clare was born in 1268, in the little Italian town from which she takes her name. Her parents were thoroughly pious people, in moderate circumstances, to whom were born two daughters, Johanna, who was the elder, and the subject of our sketch.

While still a child, Johanna, with the consent of her parents, withdrew to a secluded spot known as St. Leonards, where, with other maidens of her own age and disposition, she gave herself up to prayer and the service of God, although not bound by any rule. From her very infancy Clare wished to join her sister, and at the tender age of six she actually persuaded her parents to give their consent, and was received into the community.

The community grew so rapidly that St. Leonards was soon too small. Accordingly, it was decided to remove to the summit of St. Catherine's Hill, over which a cross of light followed by a procession of prayerful women had been once seen in a vision by Johanna. Believing this to be a sign from God indicating their new home, the pious women, after many obstacles, built an humble monastery on the spot. Up to this time the community supported itself partly by its own labor and partly by the assistance received from its friends; but now they began to feel the want of means of subsistence, and finally it was decided that some of the Sisters should be sent out to beg. The repulses, mortifications, and fatigue attendant upon such work attracted Clare, and she begged her sister to assign the task to her.

Having received the necessary permission, she started out with Sister Marina for a companion. From house to house she went, but always remained at the door, so that of all the families which she visited none could say that she ever entered the house. As she walked along, her mind was ever intent on heavenly things, and she would often stand for a time as though absorbed in ecstasy. Fearing some accident might happen to her while in this state, Blesse

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Born at Montefalco about 1268; died there, 18 August, 1308. Much dispute has existed as to whether St. Clare of Montefalco was a Franciscan or an Augustinian; and while Wadding, with Franciscan biographers of the saint, contends that she was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis, Augustinian writers, whom the Bollandists seem to favour, hold that she belonged to their order. It seems, however, more probable to say that St. Clare, when she was still a very young girl, embraced the rule of the Third Order of St. Francis (secular), together with her older sister and a number of other pious young maidens, who wore the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis and followed that particular mode of life in community which their piety and fervour suggested. When later, however, they became desirous of entering the religous state in its strict sense, and of professing the three vows of religion, they petitioned the Bishop of Spoleto for an approved rule of life; and, the Third Order of St. Francis (regular) not being then in existence as an approved religious institute, the bishop imposed upon them in 1290 the rule of the Third Order (Regular) of St. Augustine. From her very childhood, St. Clare gave evidence of the exalted sanctity to which she was one day to attain, and which made her the recipient of so many signal favours from God. Upon the death of her older sister in 1295, Clare was chosen to succeed her in the office of abbess of the community at Santa Croce; but it was only in obedience to the command of the Bishop of Spoleto that she could be prevailed upon to accept this new dignity. Kind and indulgent towards others, she treated herself with the most unrelenting severity, multiplying her fasts, vigils, and other aust

Saint Clare of Montefalco was born in 1268.  Clare was born into a well-to-do family, the daughter of Damiano and Iacopa Vengente.  Her father built a hermitage within the town where Clare’s older sister Joan and her friend Andreola, lived as Franciscan tertiaries as part of the Secular Third Order of St. Francis.  

In 1274, when Clare was six years old, the Bishop of Spoleto permitted Joan to receive more sisters, and at that time, Clare joined the Third Order of St. Francis (Secular), moving into the hermitage and adopting the Franciscan habit.  By 1278 the community had grown too large, and they had to build a larger hermitage farther from town. In 1290 Clare and her sister Joan desired a more strict monastic life, so the Bishop established a monastery according to the Rule of St. Augustine.  Clare and Joan made her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and they became Augustinian Nuns.  Joan was elected as the first Abbess, and their small hermitage was dedicated as a monastery.  A year later, on November 22, 1291, Joan died and Clare, out of obedience to the Bishop, was elected Abbess.       

In 1294 during the celebration of the Epiphany, Clare fell into ecstasy and remained in that state for several weeks.  Unable to eat, the Nuns sustained Clare’s life by feeding her sugar  water.  During this time, Clare reported having a vision in which she saw herself being judged in front of God. Clare also reported having a vision of Jesus dressed as a poor traveller.  She described His countenance as being overwhelmed by the weight of the cross, and His body as showing signs of fatigue.  Clare knelt in front of Him, and trying to stop Him asked, “My Lord, where are you going”?  Jesus answered her, “I have looked all over the world for a strong place where to plant this Cross firmly, and I have not found any”.  After she

Italian Roman Catholic saint

Not to be confused with Clare of Assisi (1194–1253).

Clare of Montefalco, OSA (Italian: Chiara da Montefalco; c. 1268 – August 18, 1308), in religion Saint Clare of the Cross, was an Augustinian nun and abbess. She was formerly a member of the Third Order of St. Francis. She was canonized by Pope Leo XIII on December 8, 1881.

Life

Clare was born in Montefalco, in Umbria, likely in the year 1268. She was born into a well-to-do family, the daughter of Damiano and Iacopa Vengente. Her father, Damiano, had built a hermitage within the town of Montefalco. Clare's older sister Joan (Giovanna in Italian) and her friend Andreola lived as Franciscantertiaries in that hermitage as part of the Secular Third Order of St. Francis. In 1274, when Clare was six years of age, the Bishop of Spoleto permitted Joan to receive more sisters, and it was at this time that Clare joined the Third Order of St. Francis (Secular), moving into the hermitage and adopting the Franciscanhabit. In 1278, the community had grown sufficiently large that they had to build a larger hermitage farther from town.

In 1290, Clare, her sister Joan, and their companions sought to enter the monastic life in a more strict sense, and they made application to the Bishop of Spoleto. As the Third Order of St. Francis (Regular) was not yet established, the bishop established their monastery adjacent to the church of Sant