Honoring Clare

For all who know of know of  St. Francis of Assisi, there is also a St. Clare of Assisi to meet, know and love~ I seek that you know this as my precious mom is named in honor of her: Clare Ann Raymond who is about to celebrate another birthday on May 13.

So who was St. Clare? She was born of wealthy parents in Umbria, Italy in 1194. They wanted her to marry and being a free-thinking, rebellious teen at 18, she did not want to marry. (Not exactly something to put on a saint’s resume.) Empassioned, she fled her wealthy and comfortable lifestyle to be one of Francis’ first followers. He accepted her into his new religious order. This is a love story-partnership born of spirituality and service. (Anyone recall the movie Brother Sun, Sister Moon?)
Now 825 years later, I am inviting 66 travelers to join with me on two VisionQuests to Assisi, Italy to be of service to the earthquake survivors of L’Aquila, Italy while also being on a spiritual and sightseeing retreat.

At the time, Francis’ and Clare’s consciousness of service to others represented a huge paradigm shift because they sought to serve the poor–and that compassion has filtered down through my mom to me.

Rewind with me: My mother was deeply wanted by her mother, Ella Magdalene, from Arbroath, Scotland because she was an only child. And after the sweet arrival of one daughter, Ella was determined to have another child so that my Auntie Joan would never be alone as she had been growing up. It was a hard time–similar to now, only then it was called the Depression in 1931. And a solicitation letter arrived asking for donations from the Poor Clare Nuns in Oakland, CA. My grandmother responded and sent all that week’s money for food…all $32.12. She also fervently asked for their prayers for her healthy pregnancy and delivery of her unborn child. What an act of faith!

Fast forward six months, and my grandmother gave birth to her second healthy daughter Clare Ann, after flying in an open cockpit airplane from Catalina Island, CA to Long Beach. My mom arrived as a healthy, gorgeous, and happy, green-eyed, blond cherub… "an angel" as she’s been called all her life.

In gratitude of their healthy newborn, my grandparents took their toddler to the convent of the Poor Clare Nuns in Oakland, CA, for a brief visit. Five very long and and anxious hours later she was returned by the gentle cloistered women in the walled convent. My cherub-like mom emerged–lovingly covered in holy medals and ribbons from the "spiritual aunties and sisters" who had prayed for her healthy arrival.

What I realize now is that we can never know how our simplest of actions of love and service will ripple out about and create something even more magnificent…it may take 825 years or just $32.12~

The message: have unshakeable faith~