Franciscan herald (1913 - 1940) . breth-ren met her with lighted tapersin their hands. Leading her to thealtar of the Blessed Virgin, theysolemnly invoked the Holy Clara laid aside her richapparel, and St. Francis, havingcut off her hair, clothed hei in arough tunic and a thick veil. Thusdid the Saint courageously conse-crate herself to the service of Godand begin a life of poverty andpenance that was to attract so manypious and generous souls. Great was the anger and indigna-tion of Clares family and friendswhen they heard of the step shehad taken. They hastened to theconvent
Franciscan herald (1913 - 1940) . breth-ren met her with lighted tapersin their hands. Leading her to thealtar of the Blessed Virgin, theysolemnly invoked the Holy Clara laid aside her richapparel, and St. Francis, havingcut off her hair, clothed hei in arough tunic and a thick veil. Thusdid the Saint courageously conse-crate herself to the service of Godand begin a life of poverty andpenance that was to attract so manypious and generous souls. Great was the anger and indigna-tion of Clares family and friendswhen they heard of the step shehad taken. They hastened to theconvent of the Benedictine nunsof St. Paul, where St. Francis hadplaced her, and did their utmost toinduce her to give up her pious re-solve. But the Saint remainedsteadfast. She had but one answerto their entreaties, reproaches, andattempts to drag her home by force:she declared that she had beencalled by God to his service, andthat she would have no other spouseof her soul. After some time, she was joinedby her sister Agnes and several. St. Clare of Assisi other pious ladies. They were thenestablished by St. Francis in a rudedwelling near the church of , situated outside the city ofAssisi. Thus was founded the firstcommunity of the Order of PoorLadies, or of the Poor Clares, asthis second Order of St. Franciscame to be called. Clare, muchagainst her will, was appointed ab-bess, an office which she held forforty-one years. Soon many, de-sirous of religious perfection, cameto the humble convent of St. Da-mian to embrace the austere lifepracticed by the Poor Ladies;among them were Clares mother,and Beatrice, a younger sister. What shall we say of the holy lifeof Clare and her community in thequiet of the convent? They hadbeen called by Almighty God to bean example to a proud, avaricious,and pleasure-seeking world, andwell did they live up to their call-ing. The community of St. Damian,and later on the communities in the 184 FRANCISCAN HERALD cities of Europe, became so manysanc
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidfranciscanhe, bookyear1914
