The life of St. Clare of Assisi can serve as a guiding example for modern-day women and men who wish to serve and heal their Church in their own simple and reverent way.
In her February 23 Clare Center Lecture “Clare of Assisi: Women Working in a Wounded Church,” Sister Margaret Carney, O.S.F. explored how St. Clare’s life and work in the early 13th century offer lessons for modern society: behavior that is not egocentric but disciplined by the example of Jesus Christ; fidelity to the Gospel to guide thought and action; the preservation of prayer and friendship in spiritual solidarity; and respect for the offices of Church officials who hold authority.
Sr. Margaret’s own life has been devoted to service and sharing the teachings of St. Clare and St. Francis. She was president of St. Bonaventure University from 2004 to 2016, and led the Western New York Franciscan university through a period of transformative growth. The author of the 2021 book Light of Assisi: The Story of Saint Clare, she received an honorary degree from Siena in 2009 and currently serves as a lecturer and leader for Catholic higher education and Franciscan organizations in the U.S.
She noted that much of what we know today about St. Clare comes from research about her contemporary, St. Francis, whom Clare emulated in her commitment to live a simple life devoted to the teachings of the Gospel.
By “standing on the shoulders of scholars of St. Francis,” Sr. Carney said current scholars can learn more about the saint who like Francis, was born into wealth but devoted her life to serving the poor.
“At the end of the day women need to be responsible for women’s history,” she said. “We’re at the beginning of a great adventure, and there is room for many more discoveries.”
She recognized modern day women who are following in St. Clare’s footsteps by working for change within the Catholic Church:
• Sr. Nathalie Becquart, whom Pope Francis named undersecretary to the Synod of Bishops, and who is the first woman to have voting rights within this body;
• Myriam Wijlens, a professor of canon law who now serves as an expert to the Synod of Bishops within the Catholic Church;
• Sr. Anne Nasimiyu Wasike, superior general of the Little Sisters of St. Francis in Uganda;
• Kerry Alys Robinson, president of the Leadership Roundtable, an organization of lay people dedicated to promoting best practices in management and finances in the Catholic Church.
St. Clare looked for new ways to live “an authentic Christian life” outside of matrimony, but in community with others of different social classes. She was revolutionary for her time in that she demonstrated that women could support themselves financially through their own work, while not under the protection of a husband or father.
“They earned their way through service to others,” said Sr. Carney.
Clare ultimately inspired other women to create similar communities of service. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Clare and her sisters: she received respectful pushback from the Church hierarchy for their way of life and decision to not own property.
“Cardinal Hugolino [later Pope Gregory IX] wanted them to accept a role that was counter to their joyful presence with the Gospel,” said Sr. Margaret. “They didn’t want to be seen as renegades, but simply embrace their own vision.”
After Francis’ death, Clare remained a “touchstone of authenticity” for those who wanted to follow their way of simplicity, poverty and a communal life of service, during a period where priests became more educated and the Church hierarchy became more powerful.
“What do we learn when we see how Clare manages to live within the Church yet stay true to what the Gospel compels her to do?” said Sr. Margaret. “We see in Clare something quite special and helpful to men and women of today. In a Church filled with the faults and failings of the human family, Clare always worked according to the Gospel, as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Holly Grieco, Ph.D., professor of religious studies, department chair, and director of the lecture series, said she was “delighted that Sr. Margaret shared with us her insights on Clare of Assisi as a model of inspiration for women’s leadership and the work of institutional change within the Catholic Church.”
“Sr. Margaret showed us how Saint Clare worked tirelessly for permission to live as she felt the Gospel was calling her to live, while maintaining her respect for church leaders who thought she should live a different way,” said Grieco.
Students who attended the Zoom lecture were impressed by St. Clare’s devotion to her own vision while respecting the Church hierarchy.
“Something as simple as holding firm to one’s fundamental beliefs exhibited by Clare's loyalty to Francis’s message to follow in the footsteps of Christ amid dissent from others, has the potential to inspire for centuries, as exhibited by the desire of women seeking to create sisterhoods emulating Clare,” said Lindsey Harwood ’23. “We continue to see Clare's strength exhibited by contemporary women in the Catholic Church who demonstrate her lasting impact, proving that fundamental beliefs can positively impact others’ lives for years or even centuries to come.”
Reflecting on the lecture, Sophia Conte ’24 believes many people, especially young women, can learn from St. Clare’s example.
“She did not let society or her superiors pressure her into conforming to things she did not see fit,” said Conte. “She carved the path for women in the Church to speak their minds and advocate for their rights while remaining reverent. It made me really think about what I could do for women in my own community.”
Ella Michalski ’25 found Sister Margaret’s lecture “very insightful and informational.”
“It was nice to hear about a historical woman in such a loving and positive light,” she said. “I appreciated how dedicated and well-informed Sister Margaret is about Saint Clare, and how she spoke of her as if she really does care about her.”
The annual Clare Center Lecture is sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies and the Franciscan Center for Catholic Studies.