Catholic Fire

Clare was born into an aristocratic family from Assisi on July 16, 1194. As a little girl she was known by members of her household to be a sensitive child, gentle, prayerful and kind. She would sometimes remove food from her plate and hide it so as to later give it to the poor. After hearing Francis preach Lenten homilies at the Church of San Giorgo, Clare became determined to live the gospel in a more radical way. On the evening of Palm Sunday, March 20, 1212, at the age of 18, she secretly left her paternal home with her cousin Pacifica, never to return. In the dead of night lit only by torches, Clare met Francis and his friars at the ‘Portiuncola’. There, in the little chapel of ‘Mary of the Angels’, she laid aside her fine clothes and Francis, after cutting off her long blonde hair, clothed her in a simple dress of sackcloth and a thick veil. She vowed from that moment on to give herself totally to God, her eternal spouse. She was placed by Francis temporarily with the Benedictine...

The Hermitage: Home of St. Francis The photos here are from my Rome pilgrimage (with the exception of the following photo.) Image source The church of St. Clare of Assisi was built in Italian gothic style between 1257 and 1265, along the road connecting Porta Nuova to St. Francesco. The basilica was realized with the typical pink stone extracted from the quarry of the Subasio mountain, contains precious frescos dating back to the period from the XIIth to the XIVth century. Assisi: enchanting Assisi - St. Francis Basilica - PAX The Blessed Virgin Mary on peak of St Mary of the Angels Basilica near Assisi Facade at St. Mary of the Angels, near Assisi This basilica stands in the plain at the feet of the hills of Assisi, protecting the Porziuncola, where St. Francis is said to have founded the first group of the Order of the Minor Friars in 1209, and the Chapel of the "Transito" where the saint died on October 3rd 1226. Dome of St. Mary of the Angels, near Assisi Leaving Ass...

ST. CLARE OF ASSISI A look at the life of St. Clare of Assisi (foundress of the Poor Clares), captivated by the burning words of St. Francis, she forsook her noble heritage and embraced a life of poverty out of love for Christ and Him Crucified. Aug 11 8:00 PM Aug 12, 2:00 AM Aug 16 1:00 PM FRANCIS AND CLARE OF ASSISI documentary look at the lives of St. Francis and Clare of Assisi, and how their love of Christ Crucified inspired many to reject the crass materialism and violence of the age. Aug 11, 2:30 PM