St. Clare of Assisi

Francis's first spiritual daughter, who fought popes for the privilege of owning nothing.

The story

At eighteen Clare slipped out of her family's palace on Palm Sunday night and had Francis cut her hair at the Portiuncula. Her family tried to drag her home; she clung to the altar. She led San Damiano for forty years, repelled Saracen mercenaries by holding up the Blessed Sacrament, and became the first woman to write a religious Rule. Innocent IV approved it two days before she died.

What Clare teaches

Radical poverty is a privilege. Clare saw that owning nothing let her possess God entirely.

Patronage

television, eye disease, embroiderers.

Prayer

St. Clare, teach us to gaze on Christ in the Eucharist and to hold nothing back from Him. Amen.