On this day in 1941, Madre Maria Amparo del Sagrado Corazon died in Cantalapiedra, Spain. She worked with Juan Arintero (whose Cause for Beatification has been introduced) and this foundation has been one of the most flourishing in Spain. She greatly promoted mystical spirituality in the Order of St. Clare.
St. Charles de Foucauld left Nazareth on this day carrying a letter from the Poor Clares of Nazareth to the Poor Clares in Jerusalem. He stayed for four days. (1898)
Memorial of Sts. Gregory Grassi and Companions, including several Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. There is a contemplative branch in their Order, probably inspired by their foundress’ time as a Poor Clare. (See January 23)
- Madre Clara Gόmez celebrated her Silver Jubilee of Profession in the Havana Poor Clare monastery on this day in 1961. It was only a few months after the Bay of Pigs crisis, and priests and religious were being threatened. Most of the Poor Clare's in Havana had left Cuba by the time Madre Clara had her Jubilee. Some went to Spain, some to Mexico, others went to New Orleans.
On July 10th, the Poor Clares ordinarily celebrate St. Veronica Giuliani. This great mystic of Citta di Castello has writings so profound that there have been efforts made to have her declared a Doctor of the Church.
. The Benedictines of Monte Subasio gave to St. Francis the derelict chapel of the Portinuncula, which they owned. He restored it with his own hands, and it was to this little chapel that St. Clare fled in the middle of the night when she joined St. Francis. He cut off her hair at the altar and gave her the Franciscan habit. (See August 2nd)
Sister Marie des Anges set sail for France from New York on the brig Resolution on this day in 1806. She was the last nun to remain in America from the first attempt to bring the Poor Clares to the United States in 1794. The Sisters had fled the French Revolution.
In July of 1834, Poor Clare Sisters helped nurse plague victims when cholera broke out in Detroit. These Poor Clares were members of the second attempt to make a foundation in the United States. They were trying to teach school in order to support themselves. Finally, in 1838 and 1839 the last Sisters of this failed attempt returned to Europe to resume the full Poor Clare life.
Optional Memorial of St. Francis Solano – At 11:00 at night, twelve hours after the death of St. Francis Solano, the Poor Clares in the near-by monastery were terrified to see a huge column of fire rise from the oratory where his body lay. They later testified they feared the flame would fall upon their house. (1610)
He wrote to the early Poor Clares a beautiful letter in 1259, a few years after St. Clare’s death. In it he told those early Poor Clares, “May you follow in the footsteps of that Mother, who, formed in the footsteps of the little poor man, St. Francis, was schooled in the Holy Spirit.”
On this day in 1677, Ursula Giuliani received the long-awaited news that she was to enter the Poor Clare Capuchin monastery in Citta di Castello. She received the name of Veronica when she entered and was later canonized.
On this day in 1598, a foundation of Poor Clares was inaugurated as San Juan de la Penitencia in Mexico. The indigenous peoples requested this foundation, and they collected alms to finance the monastery. The Sisters were met with native dances and rejoicing.
The Ursuline Sisters of New Orleans began settling into their new convent on this day in 1734. Years later they hosted three Poor Clares fleeing from the French Revolution. Eventually, these Poor Clares left the United States in 1806. (See January 11th and October 24th)
Abbess Catherine Vigri was asked by the citizens of Bologna to found a monastery in that city. She agreed, and taking fifteen of her nuns with her, arrived at Bologna on July 22, 1456. Catherine was re-elected as abbess until the end of her life. Famed for her writings and her many virtues, she is now known as St. Catherine of Bologna.
Saint Lawrence, a Franciscan Friar who was renowned for his powerful preaching and promotion of the Way of the Cross, founded a Poor Clare monastery in 1609 in Brindisi.
Pope Francis recently made this day a feast, which is of such significance to all contemplatives. This was the nameday of our American foundress, Mother Mary Maddalena Bentivoglio.
St. Bridget, after the death of her husband, became a Religious. She made a pilgrimage to Rome and died there in the monastery of Poor Clares of San Lorenzo in Panisperna. Mother Mary Maddalena Bentivoglio came from that monastery to found the Poor Clares in the United States in 1875.
Blessed Louise of Savoy died on this day in 1503. At the request of her father, she married the Prince of Chalon; after his death she joined the Poor Clares. As she lay dying, she said: “Adieu, my sisters. I depart for Paradise, where all is most beautiful.”
The mother of Saint Clare made the pilgrimage to St. James of Compestella, at a time when travel was very difficult and dangerous, and people often made out their wills before leaving home.
Memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Devotion to the parents of Mary is a later development in Catholic spirituality. They are not mentioned in the writings of Sts. Francis and Clare.
Death in 1345 of Queen Sancia of Majora, wife of King Robert of Naples and sister-in-law of St. Louis of Anjou, Bishop of Toulouse (August 19th). She built and entered the Poor Clare monastery in Naples after her husband’s death in 1338. She was devoted to the Poor Clares even before she became a nun.
Memorial of St. Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus. Check name of feast. This was the birthday of our American foundress, Mother Mary Maddalena Bentivoglio, born in 1834.