Prayer Service for Leadershp Conference of Women Religious/ Walking in the Light of Christ/ Feast of St. Clare/Service from Future Church/CTA

Welcome by the Leader: As LCWR prepares to gather for their annual meeting, we also gather on this Feast of St. Clare in heartfelt support of so many vowed religious who have faithfully followed God’s call on their lives.  They and Clare serve as models of radical discipleship of Jesus, the Christ, the Light of our World.  While we may differ in the unique summons placed within each of us, we share a common Baptismal call to keep the Light of Christ burning in our world.

Background:   Born into a noble family in Assisi on July 16, 1194, Chiara (Clare) Offreduccio di Favarone made a leap of faith that broke new ground for women of all time.  Clare was named Chiara- meaning Light- And she would come to shed her light over the entire church.   Profoundly inspired by Francis, who became her mentor and spiritual partner, she abruptly left home at age 18 to follow his path of “holy poverty.”  It was Francis who led her into her first vows and urged her to become abbess of the cloistered monastery at the Church of San Damiano, the church he had rebuilt.   So it was that for 40 years she would lead the women who gathered around her- the Order of Poor Ladies - into radical Franciscan vows of poverty, obedience, and simplicity of life, always rooted in compassion.  She was the first woman to write the rules for her order, relying completely on donations for the sustenance of her sisters. For forty years she resisted attempts by the Vatican to impose a more traditional Benedictine rule that relied on dowries and benefices.  The traditional rule would automatically create a class system of “choir sisters” (those who could afford a dowry) and “lay sisters” (those who could not). Clare wanted all of her sisters to rely completely on the providence of God in mutual love and service to one another and to the Church.  Two days before her death, Pope Innocent IV finally granted Clare’s wish and her rule was accepted.  Canonization followed two years later.  Clare’s profound commitment to the poor, crucified Jesus, and the healing power of her prayer quickly became legendary.  (Future Church)

Ritual of Commitment

Presider: It was most likely our parents who first received the Light of Christ for us. They promised for us to keep that Light shining in our world.  Now it is our turn to respond to our baptismal summons.  God works uniquely in each of us.  Clare was summoned to a life of “holy poverty” within a vowed community.  We may not share this call; but we do share a summons to radical discipleship in Christ.  St. Clare now challenges us to listen deeply for Christ’s claim on our hearts and to respond from the depths of our very being, as she did.  Please take a moment to form your response and your commitment to Christ’s baptismal summons.  Then after we share the baptismal light I will invite everyone to follow my lead in naming that committed response, to the best of our understanding at this time. 

 

Sharing of the light: The greeters light their candles from the large candle and begin passing the light.  During this time, the assembly sings “Christ, Be Our Light,” verse 5 & refrain.

Naming our commitment:   As each person names their baptismal commitment the assembly responds with arms outstretched in blessing:    May Christ, Our Light, bless you.

 

Prayers of the Faithful 

Group 1:         Clare’s love for Christ impelled her to follow His footsteps boldly and to create a new religious life style for women.

Group 2:         Spirit of God, help us to trust our experience of You and bring this light into all corners of our Church and world.

Group 1:         Clare ran from home and security to live in Gospel freedom and radical trust.

Group 2:         Provident God, protect and guide those who flee situations which are a danger to body and spirit.

 

Group 1:         Clare was inspired and empowered by Francis to live the Gospel and became a creative co-worker, prophetic leader and spiritual friend interdependently with him.

Group 2:         Beloved God, inspire Pope Francis to inaugurate a newly collaborative, respectful relationship with women religious in the Church, just as St. Francis did with St. Clare.

Group 1:         Clare lived in a society shaped by violence, domination, and exclusion. In the compassionate Christ she found that we are all God’s beloved children.

Group 2:         Compassionate God, we are all precious in your sight.  Disarm hearts barricaded by bigotry and fear of those who are different.                                  

 

Group 1:         Having learned all things at the feet of the poor and humble Christ, Clare wrote letters of profound spiritual guidance to Agnes of Prague and other women founders.

Group 2:         In thanksgiving for many wise spiritual companions among women religious, we pray, O God, that you will continue to pour out on your Church the gifts of faith-sharing, spiritual companionship, inspired preaching and sound teaching.  Further, we pray that you will inspire Church leaders to extend preaching to gifted women, so that all may hear the Good News through the lens of female experience.

Group 1:         For forty-two years Clare resisted attempts by over solicitous Church leaders to dissuade her and “the Poor Ladies” from following Christ in “the privilege of living without privilege”.

Group 2:         Loving God, we entrust to Your compassion those whose service of the Gospel has resulted in disapproval by Church authorities.  Enlighten the hearts and minds of all concerned for the greater good of Your People.