Life of St. Clare of Montefalco, professed nun of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine

Front matter

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Table Of Contents

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Translator’s Preface 3

CHAPTER

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

XXI. — The Infused Knowledge of St. Clare, and the Use

which she made of it for the Salvation of Souls. . . . 121

Chapter I

Time of St. Clare’s Birth.

HASTY glance at the time in which St. Clare was born suffices to bring before the mind a period of endless wars and of the most direful calamities. Eighteen years before the birth of the Saint (a.d. 1250), Frederic II. had died, a monarch who had rendered himself famous by the devastation of so many cities and towns; by his oppression of the people and his treachery; by his persecution of the Pope, of bishops, and of many churches; and finally by the seeds of longcontinued discord which he had sown in Italy. Three years before the birth of the Saint, Frederic’s illegitimate son Manfred, the usurping monarch of the two Sicilies, had lost his throne and life in the bloody battle of Beneventum, and was succeeded by his rival, Charles of Anjou. But not on this account did the woes of Italy come to an end. With the exception of the two Sicilies this unfortunate country found itself, not merely divided up into as many kingdoms or republics as it contained cities, but, worse still, torn asunder by the most bitterly hostile factions. The imperial throne was vacant for a time; but during the interregnum the Ghibelline party fomented feuds. Nor were their opponents, the Guelph party, less at fault; for they, too, sought for a share in the spoils and conquests, under the specious pretext of adhesion to the Pope and the Church. For a long period the name of peace was scarcely known in these fair countries. City was arrayed against city, and oftentimes within the same walls the citizens of different classes, as the people and the nobility, were arrayed against each other.

Sedition, treason, exile, confiscation, private revenge, extortion, murder, and general ruin: — such was the lamentable burden under which Italian society groaned. Peace and security had fled even from Rome, although at that time most worthy Pontiffs occupied the chair of St. Peter. These latter found themselves obliged to change their residence continually, being at one time in Viterbo, at another in Orvieto, again in Perugia. It was only at the time of St. Clare’s birth that peace began to appear in Italy. At that time the formidable army of the Ghibellines which fought under the standard of Conradin, the grandson of the above-mentioned Frederic, was defeated at Tagliacozzo, near Aquila. Conradin had set out from Germany in order to contest the throne with Charles of Anjou, but lost his life at Naples. With him disappeared the Suabian dynasty, so hateful to the Guelph party and still more detested by the ambitious and vindictive Charles of Anjou, brother by blood of St. Louis, King of France, but thoroughly unlike him in his habits. In that century ambition, avarice, and licentiousness held sway throughout Italy. In addition, the Greek schism was renewed by Michael Paleologus, and the holy places of the East again brought under the sacrilegious and tyrannical sway of the infidels. For the still greater misfortune of holy Church the Manicheans again appeared, a sect which, in addition to its ancient errors, committed the most shameful enormities; the Beguins too, who, under the coarse mantle of hypocrisy, concealed alike false doctrines and infamous practices.

But not on this account must it be imagined that the gates of hell prevailed. At this time as well as at others the words of the Apostle proved true: “Where sin hath abounded, there also hath grace abounded.” It was precisely at this time that God, by a singular dispensation of His mercy, raised up the most illustrious champions i7

Time of St. Clares Birth .

origin of the spiritual warfare in order to stem the torrent of vice. It was then, too, that the holy auxiliary troops of the Church appeared for the first time in Italy to fight under the standard of Jesus Christ — that is to say, the Religious Orders: the Franciscans, Dominicans Servites, or Servants of Mary, the Sylvestrines, and Celestines. It was then that the ancient Order of the Carmelites was extended, the two Orders for the Redemption of Captives were founded, one in Spain and the other in France, both of which soon spread themselves to Italy; still further, the Order of the Hermits of St. Paul was founded, and the general reunion of the Hermits of St. Augustine took place. A short time previous to the death of our Saint many great and illustrious servants of God flourished in the Church. Amongst others may be mentioned St. William of Denmark,* St. Felix of Valois, St. John of Matha, St. Albert Martyr, St. Francis and St. Dominic, founders of the two great religious Orders which bear their names, the seven Franciscan martyrs, St. Engelbert Martyr, St. Antony of Padua, St. Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, St. Hedwige, Queen of Poland, St. Peter Martyr, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Peter Nolasco, St. Hyacinth, St. Sylvester Abbot. But contemporaneously with our Saint there flourished outside of Italy St. Raymond of Pennafort, St. Louis, King of France, St. Louis, Bishop of Toulouse, St. Ivo, St. Elizabeth, Queen of Portugal. Even within the bosom of Italy itself, all disturbed and corrupted as it was, God raised up a still greater number of holy souls for the support and ornament of His Church. Such were, for example, St.

* St. William was born in Paris in the year 1105, joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, and was afterwards sent to Denmark to take charge of a convent there. He contributed much by his zeal towards furthering the interests of the faith throughout Denmark, and died, after suffering many persecutions and much sickness, at the advanced age of 91 years. Many miracles were wrought through his intercession both before and after his death.

Thomas of Aquin and St. Bonaventure, the two great Doctors of the Church; St. Philip Benitius,* an ardent propagator of the faith and of the Order of the Servants of Mary; St. Peter Celestine, who preferred the lowliness of a hidden life to all the splendor of the papal throne; St. Nicholas of Tolentine, that angel in the flesh, martyr of penance, worker of so many and such great miracles, and glory of the Augustinian Order; St. Margaret of Cortona, so famous for her austere, penitential life; and those great servants of God, St. Agnes of Monte Pulciano, St. Juliana of Falconeri, and St. Angela of Foligno. And here it is well to remark that these great saints whom we have mentioned, with very few exceptions, belonged to the Religious Orders which were lately founded. It would be no easy task, indeed, to extract from the annals of these Orders the record of the innumerable servants of God who flourished in them in that century, and whom the voice of the people or the authority of the Holy See has declared blessed. The Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine alone counts more than a hundred such in this century; how great would be their number, then, if we counted those of all the Orders combined, especially those of the wide-spread Franciscan and Dominican Orders!

Such were the Orders and such the saints that God’s mercy opposed to the disorders of the times, and that sustained the Church, menaced as she was by such dreadful dangers. Nor must we forget to mention as contributing greatly to the checking of disorder the striking, numerous, austere, and fervent processions of the Confraternities which took place in that century, and date their

* St. Philip Benitius was General of the Order of Servites, and con. tributed much by his zeal and prudence towards the spreading of that Order. Reliable authorities state that the number of members of this young Order in Italy, France, and Germany reached, during his administration, to 10,000. He died August 22d, 1285.

Time of St. Clares Birth.

l 9 from a time shortly prior to the birth of St. Clare. These produced, at least for some time, the richest fruits in the shape of sacraments frequented, reconciliations brought about, exiles recalled to their native country, property restored to rightful owners, and arms laid aside. But not even here was God’s providence in favor of His Church content to stop; for He entrusted her guidance at that period to Popes eminent for their wisdom and sanctity. In this class Clement IV. is especially worthy to be reckoned, a Pontiff of lofty holiness and profound learning. From Viterbo, where he was forced to reside through the inconstancy and disloyalty of the Romans, he governed the Church as wisely as the difficult circumstances of the time permitted. He died there towards the end of November, a.d. 1268, a time when the imperial throne was still vacant. It was in this very year that St. Clare first saw the light.

In the duchy of Spoleto,* and diocese of the same name,

* History, especially that of the Middle Ages, speaks much of the riches and revolutions of the duchy of Spoleto. In the sixth century it was under the dominion of the Lombards, was afterwards ruled by its own dukes, till finally, after many vicissitudes, it fell into the hands of the Popes. Among its towns and cities are reckoned Nocera, Assisi, Bevagna, Foligno, Trevi, Terni, Rieti, Norcia, Leonissa, and Spoleto, the capital of the province, and formerly only an episcopal see, but made an archbishopric in 1821. Its products are abundant and various, but it is especially rich in olives and wine. It is abundantly watered by seven small streams that flow into the Tiber. But this duchy is still more remarkable in the history of the Church for the many holy places it contains, and for the many illustrious servants of God who led there a penitent and holy life. Subasio, Serra Santa, and Monte-Luco remind us of the austere penitents that inhabited these solitudes. Assisi, with Portiuncula near by, brings to our mind the great St. Francis, and a host of saints belonging to the Order which he founded, who dwelt there. Norcia points with pride to St. Benedict, the Patriarch of the monks of the West, as also to his sister St. Scholastica, equally famed with St. Clare of Assisi. Both can with truth be called the spiritual mothers of innumerable holy virgins. The other towns mentioned above, and even the country

Life of St. Clare of Montefalco.

near to Bevagna, Foligno, and Terni, lies, in a southerly direction, on the brow of a pleasant hill, surrounded both east and west by a delightful valley, the little town of Montefalco. The place with its strong walls can be seen for a great distance. It had been built anew from the ruins of the neighboring Coccorano, which Frederic II., the ravager of Italy, had destroyed. There lived here, at the period above described, a happy couple, joined together in the holy unity of Christian wedlock. The man’s name was Damian, and his wife was called Giacoma. Both belonged to highly respectable families, and were neither very rich nor very poor, but lived contented with that moderate sufficiency which Solomon praises, and which neither foments pride through superfluity nor dishonesty through want. Their nobility and their riches consisted in the holy fear of God, in the faithful fulfilment of the duties of their state, in the pious bringing up of their children — in a word, in the acquisition of the places, have likewise their saints. Thus, to mention merely a few of the Order of St. Augustine, Spoleto has the Blessed Christina, who died in 1458, and whose feast is celebrated in the Augustinian Order on the 14th February; Rieti honors on the 2d August Blessed John, who died in 1347; Foligno has the Blessed Juliana, who flew to her heavenly Bridegroom in the year 1300, adorned with the double crown of sanctity and virginity ; likewise Blessed Angelus, who, famed for miracles both before and after death, departed this life a.d. 1296. But to come back to Montefalco, it may be remarked, without entering upon a long description, that it contains a cathedral church, two parishes within the walls and two without. It has, moreover, several convents: one of the Augustinians, one of the Conventuals, one of the Observants, one of the Capuchins, and a house of the Oratorians; likewise two convents for women, one of the Augustinian nuns, and the other of the Franciscan nuns of St. Leonard. In addition to all this it has the glory of possessing the bodies of many saints, as St. Fortunatus, St. Severus, the Blessed Johanna, sister of St. Clare, the Blessed Clarella and Illuminata, pupils of St. Clare (both died about 1310), and Blessed John and Francis of the Franciscan Order. But amongst all these the body of St. Clare is most remarkable for its extraordinary state of preservation and life-like freshness.

Childhood of St. Clare.

unfading treasures of heaven. For this reason the Lord wished to bless them in a singular manner even here on earth. The fruits of the Divine blessing were that of them were born two holy children, namely, Blessed Johanna, of whom we shall have occasion to speak hereafter, and St. Clare, who was born, as we said before, in the year 1268, in the pontificate of Clement IV. The precise day or month when she was born is not known, probably because at that time more attention was paid to collecting memorials of piety than to recording dates. But, as it avails nothing to be born to the world and then die in sin, these pious parents were most solicitous in presenting on the earliest occasion their child at the saving font of Baptism, in order that, being cleansed by its regenerating waters from the stain of original sin, she might become a fit subject for heaven. So it happened; for here we may place the commencement of that innocence which she never sullied, and of her sanctity, as will be seen in the course of her life.

Chapter II

Childhood of St. Clare.

APTISM, it is true, cancels original sin itself, but the penalties which flow from that sin accompany us to the grave; and hence it is that even from our birth the development of inordinate passions is noticeable in us. Even while still in swaddling-clothes we can notice in children the signs of impatience and reluctance, which manifest themselves in tears, cries, contortions, and impotent threats. We can notice in them a certain envy and jealousy of the maternal caresses. Scarcely have they made their first weak attempt at walking, when the spirit of liberty and independence shows itself by their disdaining the mater-

Life of St. Clare of Mont ef ale o.

nal correction. Scarcely do they begin to prattle when they mingle dissimulation and lies with their broken words. The sense of taste, too, at first content with the mother’s milk, is no longer satisfied even with dainties, but causes the tiny hand to be stretched out to commit little thefts; so that we may say with truth that the passions increase in proportion as the body gains strength. But our Clare seemed in some manner privileged and exempt from these childish weaknesses, inasmuch as she had received from God a good soul, or rather disposition, and had been in a special manner prevented by the blessings of grace. Scarcely did she open her lips to speak when she learned the chief prayers of the Christian, as well as the first elements of our holy faith, which her good mother was careful to teach her, and which sank like the dew of heaven into the tender heart of the holy child. She also learned early to reverence the crucifix and the images of the saints. It was really touching to see her with joined hands, eyes uplifted towards heaven, and on bended knees, at her mother’s feet, or elsewhere alone, adoring and invoking her Creator ere yet, by reason of her tender age, she seemed capable of knowing Him.

But a certain circumstance showed, a little later on, in a still clearer and more wonderful manner the high destiny to which the heavenly Spouse of souls called her almost with impatience. As she found herself one day in her mother’s arms, in passing before the church of St. John the Baptist, she perceived coming thence an odor of wonderful sweetness which drew her thither with an irresistible attraction. And behold ! the child bounds from its mother’s bosom and runs towards the church after the odor of the ointments of her divine Spouse, where having arrived, she found herself wonderfully refreshed by these emanations of Paradise. Who can fitly describe or thoroughly penetrate these singular favors, these anticipated heavenly illuminations, these

Childhood of St. Clare.

first tender affections, these caresses and sweet preludes of divine love ! We only know that she found herself drawn to such a degree by those sweetnesses that she could no longer remain away from that place where she had received the first fruits of grace. She went there often, and spent there, hidden in some corner, the time which was not interfered with by her duties towards her parents. On such occasions she found intense joy in the company of her beloved Jesus,. and He, to reward her, made known to her in a vision the chief events of the life to which He called her. It was exactly at this church of St. John the Baptist that the Blessed Angelo of Foligno, of the Order of St. Augustine, founded some years later, when Clare was about seventeen years old, the present convent of his Order; and this spot the Saint held in special favor during her lifetime, on account of the spiritual blessings there bestowed on her.

With such extraordinary beginnings it is not to be wondered at that Clare soon after, although still a child of from four to six years, applied herself assiduously to the practice of prayer, so that she sometimes spent entire hours in this holy exercise. Nay, at times she prolonged her devotions even to three or four hours, selecting for this purpose, as far as possible, the higher and less frequented parts of the house. There, in imitation of her divine Redeemer, she prayed on bended knees and with the deepest recollection, and in this manner laid the foundation of her future sanctity. But, what is still more remarkable, she loved even then to mortify her innocent and tender flesh with scourges which she had woven together from little cords, as well as with prolonged vigils and frequent abstinence. When but five years old, she was often heard to cry aloud, as she passed along in the open air, “Mercy, O Lord, mercy!” as though she were the greatest of sinners, at the same time beating her breast and piercing it with prickly chestnut-burs: so strong even then was her horror of

Life of St. Clare of Montefalco.

sin, and so intense her desire to follow Jesus along the path of suffering!

But one of her principal enjoyments was to listen to conversations about God and His saints; and in consequence, instead of wasting her time in the frivolous games so common to children of her age, she was wont to visit, either alone or accompanied by her maid, the different hermitages in the neighborhood in which certain pious women dwelt, leading a life of penance. These hermitages were little houses wherein these pious souls lived, apart from their family and the distractions of the world, without professing any particular rule or wearing any distinctive dress. For their guide to perfection they had the Gospel, the example of Jesus Christ, and obedience to their bishop, their confessor, and their superior. These hermitages became afterwards, as it were, the nurseries of many convents. At the time of St. Clare there were four of these at Montefalco, one of which was called the Damian Hermitage, because it had been built by the father of our Saint to satisfy the longing of his eldest daughter, Johanna, who wished to retire from the world and consecrate herself entirely to God. It was situated directly opposite the Hospital of St. Leonard, and was built in 1273. These hermitages, then, but especially that of her sister, St. Clare loved to visit. From these holy places there seemed to her to proceed sweet attractive odors, like unto that which had previously attracted her to the church of St. John the Baptist. And whilst these holy virgin recluses spoke to her of heavenly things, the Lord spoke to her heart with such sweetness and efficacy that she oftentimes appeared as if in ecstasy. Already the Saviour spoke to her these words: “Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it.” Such was this child of from five to seven years; such was St. Clare at this tender age !

St. Clare Enters the Hermitage of her Sister. 25

Chapter III

Entrance of St. Clare into the Hermitage of her Sister, the Blessed Johanna.

LARE had scarcely reached the age of six years when she already perceived with dread the dangers of the world, and so resolved to quit it. Although she was blest with a natural disposition which wholly disinclined her to indulge in worldly vanities; although she was subject to none of those failings so common amongst children; although she showed, even from her infancy, that her mind was of a grave and steady character, and manifested, too, a piety far beyond her years; although, in fine, she saw in her father’s house nothing but examples of virtue, nevertheless she did not deem herself safe enough, but felt herself impelled by these very reasons to retire from the world. The very grace of God which guided her in the world led her likewise to solitude. And what place more suitable for her to retire to than the arms of her sister Johanna, who was already treading the thorny path of sanctity ? Where could she find a more fitting asylum for her innocence than in that cloister which was still in all the fervor of its recent foundation ? There remained, however, one difficulty to be overcome, a difficulty to which nature is keenly sensitive — that, namely, of bidding farewell to her loving and affectionate parents. But the love of God, which already ruled in her heart before the age when reason usually dawns, rendered easy for her this victory over herself, her affections, and every human consideration. Filled with generous thoughts, she betook herself to her sister Johanna, to disclose to her her interior and expose her ardent' desires. And oh! how the holy child must

Life of St. Clare of Montefalco .

have pleaded with all the eloquence of her own simple, touching language to be admitted into this long-desired haven of rest! Whether Johanna considered her little sister too young to undergo the austerities of the hermitage, or wished to test her vocation, we cannot tell. The fact is, however, she refused her admission. But Clare lost not on this account her confidence in God, but renewed her request from time to time amidst prayers and tears, promising to fill all requirements with God’s help. Her sister finally relented, and promised to admit her into her hermitage after a time; that is, after having recommended herself to God with greater earnestness, and so become assured of the divine will. But the devil, who is the eternal enemy of pious resolutions, and resists with an infernal envy every effort to acquire sanctity, sought by every artifice to hinder the execution of Clare’s designs. At first he sought to turn her away from her holy resolution by suggesting to her mind plausible reasons against it, assuming at one time the appearance of her sister, at another that of some companion, but always concealing his malicious suggestions under the garb of love and pity. Finding that this did not succeed, he assumed the appearance of an old, deformed woman, and presented himself before her on the road which led to her sister’s hermitage, and threatened to take away her life if she did not change her resolution. In order to frighten her more effectually, he added that he had been previously instrumental in the death of her little sister, Theodoruccia. This latter had died, while yet an infant, before Clare was born. The rarer and more extraordinary such apparitions of the evil spirit are in the lives of ordinary persons, so much the more frequent are they in the lives of the saints. For their exalted virtue awakens in him the deepest feelings of envy; and, besides, God frequently permits such things to happen to His beloved ones to increase their merit and their glory. But what can the

St. Clare Enters the Hermitage of her Sister . 27

powers of darkness ever effect against God and His saints ? Clare, though young and inexperienced, assisted by the light of Heaven, discovered and eluded all the snares of the evil one; and, by invoking the name of God and making the sign of the cross, she became deaf to all his enticements and threats. She thus proved that her love for God made her stronger than all the powers of death and hell.

When these diabolical efforts had been overcome, and the holy child persisted in importuning her sister to receive her into her hermitage, there came to Montefalco, by an interposition of divine providence, Thomas Angeli, who at that time (the pontificate of Gregory X.) ruled as bishop the extensive diocese of Spoleto. Blessed Johanna presented herself before him, with Andriola, the companion of her retirement, and Clare, her sister, entreating him to give his blessing to their new foundation, and allow Clare to be received therein. It is probable that he had heard beforehand of Clare’s extraordinary virtue, which, in a child of such tender years, had awakened the admiration of all who knew her; nevertheless he determined to test her vocation still further. But when he saw the humility and modesty of her demeanor, and noticed the simplicity and uprightness of her answers, he recognized the assistance of the Holy Ghost, received her with kindness, consoled her, and finally granted her request. He then accompanied all three to the hermitage, assured them of his fatherly solicitude, and appointed Blessed Johanna Superioress of the house. They were all overjoyed; but for Clare this was, so to speak, the day of her nuptials, a day of the greatest happiness. Great indeed must be the joy of him who, having suffered shipwreck and reached the shore, contemplates therefrom the awful perils of the deep which he has just escaped: but it is not socgreat as was the joy of Clare when she stood upon the threshold of her new retreat and bade farewell to the world. The

Life of St. Clare of Monte falco.

eyes of the worldly-minded would have seen in that humble place into which she entered naught but gloom, poverty, and austerity; but in the eyes of Clare, enlightened by a lively faith, it was a haven of rest, a place of supernatural delights, that enclosed garden of the Canticle, where the mystic King of Peace deigns to impart His fondest caresses to the soul that has chosen Him for her bridegroom. We know not, it is true, the language in which Clare expressed her thanks to that God who holds in His hands the hearts of men and disposes of all things for the best. We do know, however, that her joy and gratitude were such that for an entire week she was almost wholly forgetful of food, contenting herself with a small piece of bread and an apple. But let us here leave her alone with God, pouring forth to Him those lively sentiments of gratitude in her own childish and imperfect language.

Chapter IV

Early Life of St. Clare in the Hermitage.

T IS by a special gift of His predilection and goodness that God calls one from the distractions and temptations of the world into solitude to speak there to his heart. Clare knew this from her earliest years; and we have seen in the preceding chapter the gratitude she manifested towards God for having made her the object of so special a grace. Let us now prepare ourselves to witness the still greater thankfulness she exhibited when she found she had attained the object of her most ardent wishes, her fondest aspirations. Here, all at once, she offered herself up in sacrifice to the Most High, by seven difficult resolutions, which she formed of her own accord. The first of these was to keep her mind always fixed on

Early Life of St. Clare in the Hermitage. 29

God; the second, never to look a man in the face; the third, to obey her superior rigorously and in all things; the fourth, to observe with exactness the silence commanded by her rule; the fifth, to avoid even the slightest imperfections; the sixth, to humble her body by mortification; the seventh, never to eat meat, or any food that might gratify her taste. So pleasing to God was this heroic sacrifice, accompanied as it was by an immediate and strict fulfilment, that He was pleased to give her a signal proof of His satisfaction.

Clare was at this time in her seventh year. One day, as she was praying with more than ordinary fervor, there appeared to her a richly dressed lady, holding by the hand a child of heavenly beauty, which, to judge from external appearances, was about seven years of age. The lady was the Queen of Heaven, and the child was her divine Son Jesus. Clare felt herself moved by an inward feeling to approach more closely to the child in order to contemplate better His heavenly beauty. The child, however, anticipated her wish, and ran joyfully towards her, illuminating her intellect with a ray of His light, making her understand who He was and how ardently He longed to become the spouse of her soul, demanding in return simply her undivided love. Let those who are able consider here the sentiments of her soul, the affections of her heart, in those happy moments during which she was the object of such favors. Let them meditate especially upon the joy which filled her soul when she celebrated her nuptials with the Lamb. Undoubtedly, feelings of the purest and tenderest love, mingled with the most profound humility, filled her soul. Henceforward no creature could find a place in the affections of that soul which had consecrated itself entirely to Jesus; for, if she bestowed any love upon creatures, her love for them was always subordinate to that which she gave to God. On other occasions, too, she experienced a like happiness; that is to say, she saw her Beloved One, the