February is mercifully short yet often bitterly cold in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s a time when many simply try to slog through. But Valentine’s Day provides a highlight, a time of celebration of loving relationships between men and women.
For those steeped in Franciscan history, two Assisi saints, Francis and Clare, illustrate the dynamic complementarity of the power of relationship.
Francis and Clare were not a romantic partnership, yet the fruits of their collaboration continue centuries later.
Much is known about Francis, yet much of the life of Clare, who founded a community of women religious devoted to Franciscan ideals, remains a mystery.
Like her mentor and friend, Clare of Assisi came from a prominent family. Only a teenager, her life was transformed after hearing Francis preach. She expressed a desire to dedicate herself to God. On Palm Sunday in 1212, Clare and her cousin Pacifica left their home, never to return. She put on sackcloth and cut off her hair, symbolizing her new life in Christ.
Like Francis, she encountered family opposition. Her uncles came to drag her away from the religious life, but she stood firm.
Clare adopted the monastic rule of St. Benedict to Francis’ preaching of poverty and compassion for the poor. She gathered a following at San Damiano and was urged by Francis to establish a convent. She agreed, establishing a new community that became known as the Poor Clares. She was joined by her mother and sister, and from those humble beginnings grew religious communities for women dedicated to Franciscan ideals.
Little is known of her cloistered life. But Clare is associated with miracles, including one where she is said to have used a consecrated Host to ward off an invasion, displaying the Sacrament at the convent gates and praying before it. Towards the end of her life, upset that illness was keeping her from Mass, she is said to have seen a vision of the liturgy on the wall of her room. She is known as the patron of television and sore eyes.
Clare died in Assisi on August 11, 1253. Her piety made such an impact she was canonized just two years later.
Today the followers of Francis and Clare include both men and women, witnessing to Gospel values in a way often at odds with the wider culture, just as they did in thirteenth-century Italy. They do so in communities which focus on contemplation, as well as those which minister to the poor and afflicted. From its roots in Italy, their Franciscan mission has spread to every continent, revitalizing the faith wherever they go.
You can be a part of that ministry by assisting the Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe in your will or trust.
Planned Giving to the Franciscans allows you to make a charitable contribution as part of your overall financial and estate planning. You can do this in a variety of ways, including bequests, charitable trusts, life insurance policies and retirement accounts.
To learn more about how you can help the Franciscan Friars with your legacy gift, contact Fr. David Convertino, OFM, via email at dconvertino@friars.us or by calling (212) 564-8834.
