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~

"He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist."
—St. Francis of Assisi

As I ponder this quote by St. Francis, I think about the many works of art that came through my hands and how many of those works had my heart in the process.  I would say most or all came from a heart space, but some stand out more than others.  There are times when my heart has been SO OPEN, my hands and head go into auto-pilot mode and I am simply letting the spirit move the pencil or the brush. 

Thinking ahead to this amazing Assisi, Italy trip, I am eager to create more works of art, through the heart and invoke the spirit of St. Francis.

By Janan Talafer

All great dreams start with a tiny seed of inspiration, which if tended carefully can blossom at just the right time and make a huge difference in the world. 

Many of us have felt that inner prompting encouraging us to take the first step toward achieving our soul’s desire.  But often we let doubt, fear and the busyness of life stop us. 

One Tampa Bay woman has not let those concerns stop her.  In July, Lore Raymond will lead her first VisionQuest: Travel that Opens Hearts and Inspired Action, bringing more than 20 enthusiastic women on a spiritual journey to the Indonesian island of Bali. With them, they’ll take 1,000 pounds of clothing and other basic necessities to a Bali orphanage and medical clinic.

This is a dream that Lore has kept alive since childhood, when the nuns at her California Catholic grade school encouraged the students to donate pennies each week to support the poor children around the world, a program that they called the “Pagan Babies.” (Remember this was in the 1960s!)  Lore “adopted” more than seven babies and still remembers how wonderful it felt to contribute to them.

But there is another part of this dream that she didn’t even realize until recently.  Lore’s great-grandmother was a healer and nurse in Scotland in the 1890s at a time when few women had a profession outside the home.  And now, through a series of “spiritual coincidences” she is partnering with Nurses with a Mission, a local nonprofit organization that supports medical mission trips and collects supplies for clinics in third world countries. 

Mauri Barnes, one of the co-founders of Nurses with a Mission, will fly 30 hours to Bali on a scouting trip in preparation for bringing nurses there on a medical mission in 2010. Lore, in turn, has pledged seven percent of the net proceeds from all VisionQuest journeys to support the Nurses with a Mission international humanitarian work.

“VisionQuest is about collaboration, service and inspiring people to make positive changes in their lives through spiritual travel,” says Lore.  “My heart connection with Nurses with a Mission is a sweet synchronicity. Together we’ll reinforce one another’s vision to serve the women and children of the world."

Lore has been following her heart for over 15 years now.  But that wasn’t always the case.  A former corporate coach, fundraiser and motivational speaker, she was a self-described type A personality for many years.  But in 1998, during a very difficult time in her life – a dark night of the soul – she went to visit friends living in Roatan, a small island off the coast of Honduras.  She stayed five years. 

(from wikipedia.org)

Artists Pietro Lorenzetti and Simone Martini worked shoulder to shoulder at Assisi. The Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi includes a number of artistic works. Simone Martini’s 1317 fresco there reflects the influence of Giotto in realism and the use of brilliant colors. Lorenzetti’s fresco at the lower church of the Basilica includes a series of panels depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus , Deposition from the Cross , and Entombment of Christ . The figures Lorenzetti painted display emotions, yet the figures in these scenes are governed by geometric emotional interactions, unlike many prior depictions which appeared to be independent iconic aggregations. Lorenzetti’s 1330 Madonna dei Tramonti also reflects the ongoing influence of Giotto on his Marian art , midway through his career.