SAINT CLARE
Virgin

DOUBLE / WHITE The Lady Clare was born in Assisi, Italy, about the year 1193. After having heard St. Francis preach, the wealthy and beautiful young girl left home to embrace a life of poverty, and thus became the first member of the Franciscan Second Order, since called the "Poor Clares." Soon other aristocratic women adopted the cloistered penitential life of the Poor Clares. When the Saracen soldiers of Emperor Fredrick II threatened to force their way into her Assisi convent during his campaigns against the Pope, Clare held the ciborium before the assailants, and they fled at once. After long illness, she died in the year 1253, as the Passion of Christ was being read to her.

Mass of a VIRGIN, except

COLLECT
Hear our prayer, O God our Saviour, and let us learn the spirit of true devotion from Your blessed virgin Clare, as we joyfully celebrate her feast. Through our Lord . . .

SECRET
Accept this gift, O Lord, from a people dedicated to You. We offer it in honor of Your saints for the help we have received from them when we were in trouble. Through our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the Food of Heaven. may we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your saint whose feast we celebrate this day. Through our Lord . . .