St Clare of Assisi
Feast Day August 11

Patron of Television and All Communication

The answer to our question "Who Was St Clare?" is a report written by a student for her Catholic elementary school in 2011. St Clare's simplicity of life and her life of prayer appear to have special appeal to this young lady who is growing up in the 21st Century. Technology, especially television has such need of a holy patron. How many of our prodigals have left the Church because they have been influenced by the barrage of worldly media? May St. Clare help us. The MMG thanks Michaela for sharing her words with us. Let us add a prayer that she will always love the Eucharist as St Clare loved it. We ask St Clare to open the hearts of our beloved prodigals to recognize Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament and give them an overwhelming desire to come hom to His Church.

Who was Saint Clare?
By Michaela Farrell

Have you ever wondered how many saints there are? Well, I don’t know the exact number but I do know that St. Clare is one of them. But have you ever wanted to know how great they are? Here are facts about St. Clare:

St. Clare, as a little girl, was befriended by St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis was her mentor for her entire life. St. Clare also wanted to emphasize poverty and closeness to the Franciscan rule.

St. Clare was born on July 6, 1194 in Assisi, Italy. Before the birth of St. Clare, her mother was praying in a church when she heard a voice saying, “Do not be afraid for you will joyfully bring forth a clear light which will illuminate the world.” The baby girl who came after this prayer was named Chiara, Italian for “clear one.” Clare’s father was a count and her mother was the countess Blessed Orsolana. After hearing St. Francis of Assisi preach in the streets, Clare confided to him her desire to live for God. With her cousin Pacifica, Clare ran away from her mother’s palace during the night to enter a religious life at the age of eighteen.

Clare founded the Order of Poor Clares and led it for forty years. Everywhere the Franciscans established themselves, there also went the Poor Clares. The Poor Clares lived a life of great simplicity and devoted themselves to prayer and meditation. Clare’s mother and sisters later joined the order.

When her convent was about to be attacked, she displayed the Eucharist in a monstrance at the convent gates, and prayed before it. The attackers left; the house was saved; and the image of her holding a monstrance became one of her emblems. When bedridden and unable to attend church, she is said to have experienced a vision of the Mass displayed on the wall of her cell. For this reason she was declared the patron saint of television in 1985.

She died August 11, 1253, she was canonized September 26, 1255 by Pope Alexander IV and her feast day is celebrated on August 11^th.

I think that St. Clare is a great role model because she was a great person, she lived a very simple life, she gave up all of her possessions to be with God, and she lived her life in prayer.

Prayer
To St Clare of Assisi

Dear St. Clare, patroness of communications, we ask you to hear our prayers in our present day crisis in the Media. Awaken us to the dangers our families and children are exposed to in TV, movies, and video games and the Internet.

Support young parents as they strive to raise their children according to the value of the Gospel.

Transform those who write, produce and advertise. May they be encouraged to use their gift in a life giving way.

We pray that our schools will foster programs to alert children and teenagers to the harmful effects the media can have on their lives. St. Clare, close friend of Jesus, hear our prayers.