Sr. Mary Clarette Stryzewski, C.S.S.F., answers questions after her presentation about St. Clare of Assisi, “A Woman of Wisdom,” at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Milwaukee. (Photo by Kristen Kubisiak)
One Palm Sunday night, a noble maiden living in 13th century Italy flees her home, her wealth, her family and everything she knows to embark on a perilous journey into the unknown.
Although it sounds like it could be the plot of a new movie “coming soon” to a theater (or streaming service) near you, it’s actually one of many courageous moments in the incredible life of St. Clare of Assisi shared by Sr. Mary Clarette Stryzewski, C.S.S.F., on St. Clare’s Feast Day, Aug. 11.
In her 90-minute presentation, “A Woman of Wisdom,” which took place at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Milwaukee, Sr. Stryzewski, who has been a member of the Felician Sisters Congregation for 55 years, invited those in attendance to delve more deeply into St. Clare’s life and understand the influences that shaped her as a person.
“My hope is that after the meeting, people are inspired to learn more about her and the many gifts she has given us — gifts that are still relevant today and that we can apply in our daily life,” Sr. Stryzewski said.
St. Clare is known for being the first woman to follow St. Francis of Assisi. Inspired by his teachings, she set out to establish the Second Order of St. Francis, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition of living the Gospel — depending entirely on Jesus. It took a lifetime, but the order was approved just days before her death by Pope Innocent IV.
Sr. Stryzewski, who has spent her life engaged in congregational ministries including elementary education, secondary education, clinical social work, hospital administration, and as president and CEO of FSI, based her presentation about St. Clare on the following resources: “Writings by Sr. Francis,” by Theresa Dowing, O.S.C.; “Light of Assisi,” by Sr. Margaret Carney O.S.F., and “In the Footsteps of Francis and Clare,” by Roch Neimire, O.F.M.
She noted that researchers who set out to share St. Clare’s story with an English-speaking audience faced a two-fold challenge: first, translating accounts of her life from her native Italian; and second, interpreting those translated accounts within the cultural and historical context during which lived. Understanding these influences is essential to knowing St. Clare, Sr. Stryzewski said.
St. Clare, whose name in Italian is Chiara, was born in the 1190s (the exact year is unknown but is believed to be 1193 or 1194). During her lifetime, Assisi, though a very Christian society with a strong civilization relative to other communities in Italy and other countries, was without strong religious leadership. Many diocesan priests and clergy, Sr. Stryzewski noted, were lacking even a modest understanding of the law of theology, education and interpersonal relationships.
“There was a significant group of Church leadership that was offering really nothing other than scandal,” Sr. Stryzewski said.
St. Francis, who lived in Italy at the same time as St. Clare, would of course become her greatest religious influence.
Class struggles were also a defining characteristic of the cultural context of St. Clare’s life. Classes were composed of either the “maggiores” — the nobility and successful merchants — or the “minores” — artisans and farmworkers. The maggiores established the rules by which the rest of the people lived.
St. Clare was the oldest of three girls in the wealthy Offreduccio family. As members of the upper strata in society, St. Clare’s life path was predetermined not only by her parents, but by uncles, relatives and a consortium of others with the goal of advancing the family within the class system.
Perhaps the big influence in St. Clare’s family life was her mother, Ortolana, who was both a devout and driven woman — as evidenced by the three pilgrimages she made in her life. During a time when literacy was not a priority for women, Ortolana saw that St. Clare could read and write. She also taught St. Clare about the medicinal properties of plants and herbs — knowledge that served St. Clare well when she embarked on her vocational life, Sr. Stryzewski said.
Both St. Francis and St. Clare were profoundly affected by experiencing the devastation of war. St. Clare’s family fled to neighboring Perugia in 1200 when war broke out, and St. Francis fought in the battle — eventually finding himself imprisoned.
Although it isn’t known when St. Francis and St. Clare had their first encounter, it is believed that her home was near a location where he spoke.
“Even before they met, he was aware of the saintliness of her mother and her, as well,” Sr. Stryzewski said.
She expressed her desire to follow St. Francis and live the Gospel. Since St. Clare’s future was predetermined by her family and her class status, covert measures were needed to help her take her vows. Aided by the bishop and Franciscan brothers, she was able to escape, and she received her vows. Initially, she was placed in a Benedictine monastery, and her family did come looking for her but left when they saw she was serious. Eventually, one of her sisters joined her.
“Clare didn’t stay with the Benedictines,” Sr. Stryzewski said. “She wanted to be true to Francis’ admonition of living the Gospel and could not do it there. She talked with St. Francis and the bishop, and she moved to the church and convent of San Damiano.”
At San Damiano, St. Clare and the sisters responded to the needs of those they encountered in a person-to-person ministry. They nursed pilgrims back to health through the remedies and salves they prepared; they assisted the monks; and they were out in the valleys helping the needy.
“The work required great physical and mental exertion,” Sr. Stryzewski said. “They didn’t receive any support from their families, or local communities — quite the opposite — often people thought they were nuts.”
Over the years, the movement spread, and St. Clare was often at odds with the bishops, as she dedicated her order to the strict principles of St. Francis, setting a rule of extreme poverty far more severe than that of any female order of the time. Even when the Cardinal Bishop prepared a formal rule to allow for the communal ownership of property, St. Clare remained steadfast until finally her rule was approved. The Order of St. Clare still exists today.
“The main takeaways from Clare’s life are always assume goodness; accept your limits and the limits of others; see and hear deeply; and forgiveness,” Sr. Stryzewski said. “She’s as relevant today as she was 800 years ago.”
As more documents are translated, Sr. Stryzewski said, St. Clare is still teaching us many lessons.
