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Saint Clare of Assisi
Feast day August 11
Clare rejected the life her noble Italian family had planned for her. At age 15 she refused to marry. But the day she heard St. Francis preach, she found what her heart had been searching for. She knew she wanted to be like Francis and live a humble life dedicated to Jesus.
At age 18, Clare escaped from her parents’ home. Francis brought her to a Benedictine convent where she was given a brown habit and a rope for a belt. When Clare’s father and uncles arrived to bring her home, Clare clung to the altar. Sixteen days later, Clare’s sister, St. Agnes, joined her.
Under Francis’ guidance, Clare became the founder and abbess of an order of nuns at San Damiano convent in Assisi, known today as the Poor Clares. The nuns ate no meat, wore no shoes, slept on the ground, and were mostly silent. Yet, they were happy serving the Lord.
People remarked about Clare’s prayer life and her trust in God. One time, soldiers came to attack Assisi. She told the nuns not to be afraid and to trust in Jesus. Then, Clare prayed to God for protection and the soldiers fled.
Connecting to Faith First® Legacy Edition
Grade 1, chapter 19
Connecting to Faith First®
Junior High, Liturgy and Morality, chapter 22
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