The second video in our series by the Franciscan Friars of St. Barbara Province’s Leadership Team/Definitorium features Fr. Martin and Br. John’s thoughts on St. Clare.
St. Clare’s Reaction to an Imperfect Church and Society
Sr. Frances Teresa Downing is a Poor Clare sister living in England. She is the author of six books about St. Clare. In the video below, she describes St. Clare in the context of her society which, as it turns out, has a lot of the same problems as ours.
Sr. Teresa Downing’s books can be purchased from Tau Publishing here.
Partying Like it’s 1255 – St Clare’s Feast Day
St. Clare died in 1253 and became a saint in 1255. Imagine the celebrations in Assisi! Ever since, St. Clare’s Feast Day is celebrated on August 11th. This year, the US friars are celebrating by welcoming six men into postulancy, which is the first step on the road to becoming a friar. Fr. Sebastian Sandoval, OFM, Vocations Director, recently announced that one of those six men, Ivan Arevalo, is joining the Province of St. Barbara. Welcome Ivan!
My name is Ivan Arevalo, I am 36 years old. I have been working as a Director of Religious Education for the last 5 years. I have been a catechist and youth ministries leader for over 15 years. I was in seminary at Mt. Angel Abby in Oregon for a few years. I am the middle child; I have one older brother and a younger sister that went home to Jesus 30 years ago. I learned to cook and be self-sufficient through my mother. My Mother did not want my brother and I to be “useless” husbands, so she taught us how to manage a household. I am no Iron Chef, but I can hold my own in the kitchen. My favorite meal to make is lasagna with cheesecake for dessert. I look forward to meeting you in August.
Seven friars will also renew their vows on St. Clare’s Feast. Brother Jeff Shackleton OFM explains:
“The friars in temporary profession (that is, the guys who are no longer novices but have not yet made solemn vows) renew their vows on August 11, the Feast of St. Clare. We have them renew vows every year because their vows are, indeed, temporary. In our province, when you’re in temporary profession, you take vows for only a one-year period, so they come up for renewal annually. St. Clare’s feast day is an important date in the Franciscan world, so it seems appropriate to renew commitment to the way of St. Francis on such a day….
The men renewing vows for the year are: Bradley Tuel, Antonio (Tony) Luevano, Andrew Dinegar, Salvador Mejia, Adolfo Mercado, Nathaniel Tran, and Martin Sanabria.”
St. Clare’s Recipe For Healing
When we think of Saints, we often think of miracles, but Chaplain Jenna Neilsen suggests that St. Clare and her sisters employed something more, like loving kindness, to heal a friar.
What Do Poor Clare Nuns Do All Day?
The Poor Clare nuns of Spokane, Washington, answer the age-old question: “What do you do all day?
Click here, for a larger view of their schedule.
Who becomes a Poor Clare nun?
Farmers, foster kids, and Rita Louise! To hear the stories of the sisters, click here.
Other Poor Clare communities you might want to know more about:
- Poor Clare Colettines, Los Altos, CA
https://www.poorclareslosaltos.org - Poor Clares, Santa Barbara, CA
https://poorclaressantabarbara.org
St. Clare, Holy Fashionista
The much-loved and always flamboyant Corrie Crandall, Director of the Museum Store at Mission San Luis Rey, compares outfits with St. Clare.
When the Friars Think of St. Clare….
This is the first of several short videos created by the Franciscan Friars of St. Barbara Province’s Leadership Team/Definitorium. (You may notice that Fr. David is missing. He was in Rome when these videos were filmed.)
St. Clare, Amelia Earhart, and Malala
Pat Julian, Spiritual Director, and retired Director of Retreats at the Casa and Mission San Luis Rey, reflects on one of the things she admires about St. Clare.
Poor Clare Nuns Top the Charts (and Host a Reality TV Show)
After a lot of soul searching, the Poor Clare Nuns of Arundel, England agreed to create an album, “Light for the World”. Upon its release in October 2020, no one was more surprised than they were when it shot to #1 on the Classical Music Charts. Check out the video below to learn more about how these cloistered nuns became a singing sensation. If classical music isn’t your thing, scroll down for a link to their 2006 reality TV show, “The Convent”.
Fr. David Gaa Reflects on St. Clare
Our first reflection comes from our Provincial Minister, Fr. David Gaa, OFM. He taped this reflection in Rome, where he was attending a meeting of Franciscan friars from around the world.
