My visit to the St. Clare church.

I made a very special religious pilgrimage to the Poor Clare Church during the month of February 2012 to commemorate the Feast of Mother Colette.  The trip was so special to me, that it left me yearning for another one.  Oh, I just can't wait till the next Feb 7 where I can sing the gospel praises of one of my favourite mother Saint Colette.  The church was filled with her warm, holy presence that lighted the atmosphere into a sphere of Marian energy.  Fresh flowers are offered to the altar, nuns and sisters busy 

straining their vocal cords for the perfect pitch.  Oh, what a day?? Did you know that this year is a very special year for all the Poor Clare Monasteries in the world?  It is the 800th Jubilee year since the foundation of the second Franciscan ordered by Mother St. Clare of Assisi and Father St. Francis of Assisi in the year of 1212.  Now, if you are wondering what Assisi means, (it is a city in Italy, the very same country where our current Pope Benedict XVI resides.).  

Does the number 1212 mean anything to you??  I would imagine it to be December 12, the very special festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  In Spanish it is pronounced as ' Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe' .  The word Guadalupe originates from the Aztec word 'coatlaxopeuh' meaning 'the female that defeats the evil snake.   

No only our did Mother Saint Clare of Assisi shared one connection with Virgin Mary apparition, but, she also had another special connection with the Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  Mother Saint Clare was born on July 16' 1194.   Our Lady of Mount Carmel, famously portrayed as Virgin Mary with the child Jesus surrounded by angels handling our scapulars (habits of Virgin Mary) to sinful souls burning in the hell fire.  The feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated on July 16.

Saint Francis of Assisi, famously known as the barefoot friar preaching in the streets of Assisi, Italy, where he met and converted the rich Saint Clare.  In the ruined Saint Damiano church, Saint Francis received a vision of Jesus calling ,"Francis, Francis, go and repair My house which, as you can see, is falling into ruins.".  Very very innocently, Saint Francis gathered as many bricks as he could and started plastering the ruined church.  Little did he realized what Jesus meant was to form a new Franciscan order of monks and cloistered nun with Mother Clare in the year of 1212.  What an embarrassment he must have felt thinking that Jesus asked him to plaster the church with bricks.  However, because of his good merit, he received the stigmata. He is also known as the Patronage of animals because of his heroic rescue of a village terrorized by a ferocious wolf.  Using his compassionate energy along with the sign of the cross, he managed to tame the wolf .  He is often associated with the Tao cross. 

Tau cross

Our Lady of Mount Carmel celebrated on July 16.

Sisters.

Our Lady of Guadalupe festival on December 12.

Famous marian, Saint Clare of Assisi.

Mass area of the Church.

A Picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The statue of Mother Saint Clare.

Tabernacle on top of the altar showing the 'sacrificial lamb' symbol of Jesus Christ.  Only the Brides would carefully decorate the tabernacle with white veil.

friend? star?

The Arch at night view.

The Arch City Deli courteously serves very hunger-satisfying fast foods at a very reasonable price.