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Conference attendees explore the life of Clare of Assisi

Clare of Assisi was brought to life during a keynote address by Joanne Schatzlein, OSF, at the 2005 FSPA Sponsorship Conference. At the outset Sister Joanne noted that she was speaking as a 3rd Order Franciscan woman who has been studying Clare for roughly 20 years. She added that she does not live the life of Clare and advised that the Poor Clares have special insight on their founder.

Joanne Schatzlein, OSF

Prior to 1982 there was little scholarly research available about Clare. Important publications on her life began appearing in the late 1980s (see bibliography in sidebar). The 1993 ClareFest (honoring the 800th anniversary of her birth) held at Viterbo was a "pivotal event" in understanding Clare. More than 1100 people attended and 40 papers were given.

New research changes what was previously known about Clare. Sister Joanne explained that in many ways the new research transforms Clare into even more of a "dominant, courageous, innovative and incredibly tenacious woman who despite everything that was being asked of her maintained her original conviction of how she wanted to live her life."

Historic context
Sister Joanne began by establishing context as a way to help understand the nuances of Clare's character. Clare was a medieval woman. Medical science of the day indicated there were four humors of the human body-hot and cold, moist and dry. Hot and dry humors were associated with men and intelligence. Cold and moist humors were equated to women and lust. This diagnosis prescribed the role of motherhood as the only option for women, and suggested they did not have the necessary intelligence to study and write theology.

Options for women writers included writing as part of hermetic life in a monastery where they had equipment and time to write. Women could not write dogma or theological treatises, but they were allowed to write about spiritual visions since they were capable of receiving information from God. Listing other options for writers, Sister Joanne said, "Women were the greatest authors of devotional literature." Letters of
encouragement were cited as a third form of feminine written expression.

Also prevalent at the time was the theory that there were too many women. Men frequently died in war. Those who returned found many women to choose from when selecting a spouse. As a result women were undervalued. Women of nobility were, however, highly sought because, with the decline of feudalism, class intermarriage was allowed.

Clare was 18 when she joined Francis. Considering the mores of the times, she should have been married at 14, but Clare put off such pressures because she wanted to "give expression to her spiritual longing." Clare made a choice to follow God's call. She gave expression to her beliefs by distributing food to the poor.

Clare's family
In the 12th century, the average lifespan for women was 25 because of the dangers of childbirth. Fearing childbirth, Clare's mother, Ortulana, visited a shrine where she had a vision that her daughter would bring light to the world, and thus named her Clare.

Less is known about Clare's father, Favarone. He seems to have played a limited role in family life and may have been ill. Clare also had two sisters, Catherine and Beatrice. There were seven knights in Clare's family who tried to dissuade her from choosing religious life. Brother Rufino, a follower of Francis, was Clare's first cousin.

Sister Joanne stressed that for Clare to join Francis in his way of life was an incredible act since Francis was not well established in the church. She emphasized that Clare could not be studied separately from Francis since Clare's primary vision of herself was as a follower of Francis.

Francis sought Clare out and began to have meetings with her. Their strategic planning for Clare's departure must have involved many people. Since Clare could not live with the brothers, they had to find a place for her. Just escaping the city was difficult. Sister Joanne suggested that the bishop likely aided Clare since she fled from a gate near his home. The abbess of the Benedictine monastery Clare fled to also probably knew of the plans. Certainly Clare's immediate family also knew.

It was a significant gesture for a medieval woman to cut her hair. When Clare showed the knights that her hair was gone they were convinced that she would not return with them. Shortly after Clare's escape her sister Catherine followed her. The family knights also tried to take Catherine back, but failed.

Clare at San Damiano
Francis prepared San Damiano for Clare and her followers. Women of means joined Clare, including her mother and youngest sister. Even though they were noble women, Clare insisted that all who joined her must come with no dowries. Sister Joanne added that new research suggests that Clare and her followers initially joined Francis in ministry with the lepers.

At the outset this collective of women was considered radical-they had no legitimate church authority. Cardinal Hugolino worked to settle these women into an accepted way of life. Clare's greatest concerns for her order were their relationship with Francis and absolute poverty. (The notion of poverty was problematic for the papacy because without dowries there was no secured means of support for these women.) Clare agreed to take on Hugolino's constitutions as long as her concerns were met. Along with this she accepted the Benedictine rule for her monastery.

Hugolino eventually became Pope Gregory IX and canonized Francis. After Francis' death the friars were arguing over Francis' legacy and the institutionalization of the order. Clare became the keeper of the Franciscan charism during this time because she "held fast to everything Francis was about."

Clare established a great friendship with Agnes of Prague even though they never met. Agnes, also a noble woman, eventually built and joined a Poor Clare monastery. The themes of Clare's four letters to Agnes were "poverty, living a life of charity, and following the poor and crucified Jesus who is the center of her mirror."
Through the concept of mirror spirituality Clare suggests that Agnes should gaze in the mirror and see Jesus Christ reflected back. Later Clare adds that the sisters should be "mirrors to others, to reflect Jesus Christ to the world."

Sister Joanne noted that perhaps Clare's ultimate virtue was charity. She established a way of life in relationship with the 50 women in her monastery.

During her life she dealt with five different popes. Eventually she wrote her own rule to assure that poverty and the relationship with Francis were secured. She built flexibility into her rule by including "but if" exceptions to prescribed behaviors. Providing an example from the rule, Sister Joanne said, "Ordinarily we keep silence, but if there is a need for you to ask your sisters for something, please do so." Clare's rule was inclusive of the lived expression of the sisters.

The approval of her rule came just two days before she died. Clare perceived herself as being ill all her life, yet she lived to age 60, a long life for a woman by medieval standards.

A feminine leader
Citing a study about Clare as a feminine leader, Sister Joanne explained that Clare was influenced by what she learned at home where Clare's mother had had great influence in the household. It was a huge risk for Clare to follow Francis because she could have been betrayed as a heretic. "Clare was a leader because she could be a follower." The same study points out that Clare allowed herself to be formed into the role of abbess. She identified with Jesus living in her sisters. Clare always remained faithful to mission and helped others grow.

In her closing comments Sister Joanne reiterated that Clare was the keeper of the Franciscan charism. Clare referred to herself as a "little plant of Francis." She was committed to poverty and always respectful to the papacy. She lived with a spiritual Franciscan identity based in Jesus Christ. Clare's legacy offers invitation to step back, to be reflective and prayerful. She was a mirror to the world.

Abbreviated timeline for Clare of Assisi (Chiara di Offreduccio) 1193 Born July 16 1212 Clare joins Francis at Porciuncola 1216 Clare accepts the duties of abbess 1219 Clare is enclosed; given the Benedictine rule with Hugolino's constitutions 1228 Pope Gregory IX grants the Privilege of Poverty to Clare 1253 Clare writes her fourth and final letter to Agnes of Prague 1253 Clare's rule is officially approved on August 9 1253 Clare dies on August 11 1255 Canonization of Clare of Assisi by Pope Alexander IV This St. Clare wall hanging was given to St. Rose Convent in honor of the chapel tour guides.

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