A worldwide Order of 17,000 sisters in 900 monasteries, 42 in the United States

Poor Clares: Contemplative Franciscan Women

All text and photos lifted from the order’s website: poorclaresosc.org

We invite you to come and see what wonders God is doing in our lives; we are Poor Clares in the Mother Maddelena Bentivoglio Federation and the Holy Name Federation.

We welcome you to see our various monasteries in North America, meet our sisters, learn about our heritage and our life as contemporary Franciscan contemplative women living in the tradition of St. Clare and St. Francis.

We hope you will experience the joy that is ours and we pray you will be heartened to know of our presence and support, but more important, of God’s loving care for each of us and you as well!

Peace and well being to all who enter here.

Who are the Poor Clares?

St. Clare was the first Franciscan woman, a follower of St. Francis. Together they founded the Second Order of the Franciscan family, the Poor Clares in 1212. She lived in the church of San Damiano which St. Francis renovated for the Sisters to live in, for almost 40 years until her death.