Saint of the day - August 11

St. Clare was born in Assisi on July 16, 1194, as Chiara Offreduccio, the eldest daughter of Favorino Sciffi and Ortolana. Her father hailed from a wealthy Roman family and her mother was a very devout woman, belonging to the noble family of Fiumi.

Clare was very much dedicated to prayer from the early ages, and when she was 18, after listening to St. Francis of Assisi preaching, she sought his help to live a life according to the Gospel. Later, she joined the convent of the Benedictine nuns of San Paulo, under Francis' orders. When her father found her out and insisted her to return home, she refused and professed that she would have no other husband than Jesus Christ.

She longed for greater solitude, and hence, Francis sent her to Sant' Angelo in Panzo, another Benedictine nuns monastery. Clare's sister Catarina, who took the name Agnes, joined her at this monastery. Afterwards, a separate dwelling was built for them next to the church of San Damiano, and overtime, other women joined them too.

The congregation came to be known as the "Poor Ladies of San Damiano." They all lived a simple life of austerity, seclusion from the world, and poverty, according to a Rule which Francis gave them as a Second Order. St. Clare and her sisters wore no shoes, ate no meat, lived in a poor house, and kept silence most of the time. Their lives consisted of manual labor and prayer. Yet, they were very happy, because they were living close to the Lord all the time.

By 1216, Clare became the abbess of San Damiano. Ten years after Clare's death, the order became known as the “Order of Saint Clare”.

Clare was so devoted and dedicated to St. Francis that she was often referred to as "alter Franciscus," or another Francis. She encouraged and aided the man she saw as a spiritual father figure, and took care of him as he grew old.

Following the death of Francis, Clare continued to promote her order, fighting off every attempt to impose any rule on her order that would dilute their "radical commitment to corporate poverty."

In 1224, an army of Frederick II attempted to attack Assisi. Although very sick, Clare went out to meet them with the Blessed Sacrament in her hands. Placing the Blessed Sacrament on the wall for the soldiers to see, she knelt down and begged God to save the Sisters. Suddenly she heard a voice answering; "I will keep them always in My care." At that moment, a sudden fright struck the army and they fled, without harming anyone in Assisi.

During the course of time, Clare became sick and suffered great pains for many years, but no pain could trouble her. So great was her joy in serving the Lord that she once exclaimed: "They say that we are too poor, but can a heart which possesses the infinite God be truly called poor?"

Clare died on 11 August, 1253, at 59-years of age, and in 1255, Pope Alexander IV canonized her as Saint Clare of Assisi.

St. Clare was declared as the patron saint of television by Pope Pius XII in 1958, because she was reportedly able to see and hear the mass on the wall in her room when she was very ill and could not attend mass.

Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Alexander of Comana
2. Saint Attracta
3. Saint Equitius
4. Saint Gagericus
5. Saint Philomena

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