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Central
to Saint Clare and Saint Francis' vision of life in community is the joyful
poverty of the Gospel. For Poor Clares, this means communal poverty as
well as individual. For both Francis and Clare the community dimension
is an essential part of our form of life. We are to "live no longer
for ourselves" but to serve the community. By giving everything we
have and are, we live in a community dependent of God's Providence. This
is what is implied in our vowing to live "without possessing anything
as my own".
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St Clare and St Francis |
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St Clare |
Throughout
her life, Saint Clare and her sisters struggled to maintain this ideal
in the life, against a lot of opposition because it was thought impossible
to live without dowries, endowments, etc. It was she who understood and
observed St Francis' ideal of poverty from which not even the request
of the Pope could deter her. Because of her steadfastness, she was granted
the 'Privilege of Poverty' by the Pope in 1216, which meant the
privilege of living without property or privilege.
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| In
her Rule Saint Clare emphasises poverty, but always it is poverty for the
love of God "Who was placed poor in the crib, lived poor in the world,
and remained naked on the cross" (Testament of Saint Clare). She emphasised this in very practical ways e.g. "Always wear inexpensive garments out of love of the most holy and beloved Child, who was wrapped in such poor little swaddling clothes and laid in a manger" (Rule of Saint Clare II). |
Humbie Sister |
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Humbie Sister |
Poor Clare communities are made up of women of differing ages, temperaments and backgrounds, brought together for love of God. In her Rule Saint Clare emphasises the importance of fraternal love, - "if a mother loves and nurtures her child according to the flesh, how much the more ought a sister to love and nourish her sister according to the Spirit" (Rule VIII). "Love one another with the love of Christ". |
| She provided for consultation with the whole Community in important matters, "for the Lord frequently reveals what is best to the least or youngest among us" (Rule IV). All members of the community are equal because we are called to be sisters in fact and in name. We share in the common works of the monastery such as housework, cooking, gardening and the work we do to keep ourselves - mainly printing. The gifts of each sister are at the service of the community in the way the Lord would wish us to be. |
Humbie Sisters with Cardinal Keith O'Brien |
