The First Franciscan Woman: Clare of Assisi and Her Form of Life

Theological Studies, Dec, 1994 by Michael W. Blastic

Part 2 studies the life of Clare and her sisters as it unfolded at the monastery of San Damiano as a life of poverty in enclosure. P. points out that Clare chose enclosure from the beginning, even prior to canonical legislation imposing it. After careful examination of the penitential practices of Clare, P. notes how she matured in this area without internalizing the prevalent negative messages about women's body.

In Part 3, P. discusses the inner life of Clare in terms of its impact on her relationships within the monastery, as well as how it sustained her in the long struggle to have her Rule approved. While influenced both by Bernard of Clairvaux's Christocentric mysticism and by Francis's own ministerial devotion to Jesus Christ, Clare's originality lies in her focus on the suffering, crucified Christ as spouse and bridegroom within the context of enclosed life. In the end, Clare's spirituality remains "domestic," similar to that lived with the noble ladies in her own family home prior to joining Francis and the brothers, yet now in the freedom provided by the enclosure of San Damiano. P.'s study is seminal, opening new vistas for further research into the life of this remarkable woman, and destined to become a classic in setting a standard for further work on Clare of Assisi.