St. Clare of Assisi

This is dedicated to my patron saint, St. Clare of Assisi, on August 11, her feast day.

Happy Feast day, Saint Clare.

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Saint Clare of Assisi is a catholic saint. She's kind of well-known, and kind of not.

She is my patron saint ever since last year at my confirmation when her name was merged with mine to show that I am officially a member of the catholic church.

I am writing a little biography of her.

Here goes.

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Patron Saint of: Sore eyes, television. 

Born:  July 16, 1194

Died: August 11, 1253

Canonized:  August 15, 1255

Feast Day: August 11

St. Clare of Assisi was born in, you guessed it, Assisi, Italy, to a wealthy, noble family.

She had one sister, named Agnes.

St. Clare and her family were very religious.  

But none of them were expecting her to refuse marriage, at either 15 or 12, (the story changes)

What I was told, was she was asked to be married at age twelve by a Roman general, but refused because she was still young. He came back three years later, and age fifteen and asked for her hand. She refused again, becuase she didn't want to marry. She wanted to dedicate her life to Jesus.

Her father was very angry, and he tried to force her into it, but she stood her ground.

One day, at eighteen, she ran away from her home after hearing Saint Francis or Assisi preach in the streets earlier that day.

She went to Saint Francis, and he helped her find her way.

She sacrificed everything. She sacrificed her hair, having Saint Francis cut it, and she received a rough, brown habit. She was placed into a convent after that, since Saint Francis' followers were only male.

Her father tracked her down, and found her in the convent. He was so angry at Clare. She stood up against him and showed her his hair, which was choppy and short. 

Days after, her little sister, St Agnes, joined her sister, ready to dedicate her life to Jesus.

That was the end of that, her father didn't bother anymore.

Years later, Clare started her own order of nuns, called the Poor Clares. They moved to a convent in San Damiano.

Her order were truly poor. They walked barefoot, and slept on the ground, and never ate meat. They were isolated, and never really talked. 

They possesed nothing. They owned nothing.

They were living in poverty, which was ok with them.

St. Clare did not only have her own order, but she also did a lot of what we would call volunteering.

She served the sick, waited on people, and washed the feet of beggars and other nuns.

Her whole life was dedicated to helping people.

Towards the end of her life, St. Clare grew ill. 

One day, she couldn't even get out of bed. She was very upset that she would miss mass, so she prayed.

Then, she had a vision. She saw what was happening in mass, exactly as it was. Like a live TV.

That's why she's the patron saint of sore eyes and television.

She had such an influence on people everywhere, that popes and bishops visited her on her death bed.

Finally, on August 11, 1253, St. Clare returned to her creator, God.

Her body was preserved by God, so as her flesh and clothes rotted, her bones remained.

She is an incorruptable saint, since bones are supposed to decay, but hers didn't.

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St. Clare was a great woman, who sacrificed so much, and gave so much to people who really needed it.

Her life is a great lesson to everyone.
I chose her as my patron saint because I wish to be as generous and couragous as she.

Thank you, Saint Clare, for doing so much.

I thank you for everything you have done for me, such as inspiring me and answering my prayers I send to you. 

You are one of the best saints to ever have lived.

Thank you, and happy feast day.

A/N: Remember, this may not be exactly all true, it was just the story that was told to me. It may not be reliable. This was just the way I was told the story went. Saint Clare's story is so old, some things might have been added, some things might have been taken out.

Please, if you have any information you want to share, feel free to comment.

Stay faithful,

                     -Kennedy Smith