Monastery of St. Clare
Fall 2013
May almighty God bless you. May God look upon you with mercy and give you peace.
— Blessing of St. Clare
Upon Whose Shoulders Do You Stand?
As November days grow grayer and shorter, our thoughts naturally turn to end
times. We remember those who have gone before us and on whose shoulders
we now stand. We would like to share with you something of our thirteen
Sisters who are buried in our cemetery and who are treasured in
our memories.
Sr. Catherine Mary
and Sr. Laurentius
Sister Laurentius and Sister Catherine Mary were the two extern
Sisters who came to Greenville with the pioneer group making the
foundation from Boston. They were the smiling faces
that welcomed visitors to the monastery and went out
on necessary errands.
Mother Silas was the first abbess of the new
monastery. It was her love of people that reached
out to make lasting friends and benefactors and her
vigorous personality that helped shape the new
group into a community. In this she was assisted by
Sr. Maddalena, the first novice directress and Sr.
Veronica who took charge of the Altar Bread
department. They left their beloved Boston to face
the challenges of new beginnings.
Sr. Maddalena
Sr. Mary Augustine
Others from the pioneer group included Sr. Mary
Augustine and Sr. Marjorie. The former, a strikingly
beautiful woman, patiently endured many years of
suffering. The latter was our former Marine who
attacked the Poor Clare life with a strength that
carried through till the end of her life.
Continued on Page 3...
37 McCauley Road, Travelers Rest, SC 29690
864-834-8015
www.poorclaresc.com
Mother Silas
Sr. Veronica
Sr. Marjorie
A Message from
our Abbess
Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Bodily Death…
Canticle of the Sun by St. Francis of Assisi
Sr. Mary Connor, OSC Dear Friends,
Each of the seasons has its own beauty; the colors and textures of Fall invite us
to reflect on God’s gift of creation as well as our own life. We are also coming
to the end of our Liturgical Year where the scripture readings remind us of our
own mortality. St. Francis of Assisi prayed the above words as he embraced his
own death. He knew that because of his life in Christ, his death was an opening
to deeper life.
During November, we remember those who have been part of our lives and who
now enjoy this fullness of life. It is comforting to believe that they are still part of
our lives and we continue in relationship with them. As we remember what we learned from them, their
gentleness, their gifts of forgiveness, patience in suffering, humor, charity, we know that God’s spirit
bore fruit in their lives. As we pray, we ask that we too can imitate their virtues. In the Monastery, at
significant times such as the sickness or death of a sister, I have experienced the presence of our
deceased sisters. Often during the year, I find myself remembering our friends and benefactors who
have died. What a consolation to know that each time we gather at Eucharist we celebrate the Lord ’s
dying and rising and we do this with all God’s holy ones. We may still be sad that they are not present
to us, but we are filled with hope! In this month, we will especially be praying for our deceased sisters,
friends and relatives. We invite you to send us the names of those you would like us to include in our
prayers and perhaps share with us a gift that they gave to you during their lifetime. If it is possible,
please join us for Eucharist during this month to pray with us for your beloved deceased.
On Thanksgiving Day we will again have a special Eucharist at 11:30 am to remember with gratitude all
who are a part of our lives. Our Franciscan friars will be here to celebrate with us. As we gather this
year to give thanks, we will remember each of you. Thank you for all the ways you have supported our
life in 2013. We are having a generous response to our Annual Appeal and are especially grateful for
your assistance; this will help us to continue to pay off our loan and the expenses of maintaining this
sacred space for all God ’s people. We also appreciate your prayers for us and your continued interest
in our life. Truly you are God ’s saints among us!
Another date for your calendar is our Healing Prayer Service on December 8 th; it begins with Adoration
at 4:00 and Evening Prayer at 4:30. During these busy days before Christmas it is a way to slow down
and pray for healing for you, for your loved ones and for our world. We welcome your prayer requests
even if you are unable to be with us.
We look forward to your calls, visits, and e-mails throughout the year. Now there is another way of
keeping in touch with your sisters at the monastery. We are on Facebook and you may find us at
poorclaresc. Please “like” us! You will get some of our news as well as an inspirational quote, and
reading about the saint of the day.
With gratitude and prayer for you,
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Continued from Page 1...
Though not one of the founding group, Sr. Harriett Marie came to
join the Greenville community early on and became the second
novice directress and also succeeded Mother Silas as abbess.
She also began our retreat ministry, opening
Emmanuel House and serving there for many
years.
Sr. Mary Francis
Entering in the early days of the new foundation
were Sr. Mary Francis, a devoted nurse who cared
for many of our Sisters, and Sr. Dorothy Marie,
whose artistic talent and temperament added
color to the community over the years.
Sr. Consolata was gifted with a magnificently
trained voice which she used to support our
singing and praise God. For many years her warm
-hearted
greetings
endeared
her
to
the
monastery ’ s many visitors.
Sr. Consolata
Sr. Harriett Marie
Sr. Dorothy Marie
Another gifted musician, Sr. Anne played the organ and
directed the choir. Gentle of spirit, with a will of steel,
she endured many years of ill health with a patient
smile.
Sr. Anne
Sr. Mary Lucy
Serving an unprecedented five terms as Abbess,
Sr. Mary Lucy guided the community through a series of major
transitions. Completely blind the last years of her life, her love of
the Poor Clare vocation and her fidelity to it never dimmed.
We are glad to share with you something of the uniqueness of our
beloved Sisters who have gone before us. Our life as community was enriched by
this sharing. Together we experienced the joys and challenges that are part of every
day ’ s experience. Now we count on their continued support and intercession.
We know you share in this same lived belief in the Communion of Saints. Your
memories reach back into the past as you recall how you knew joy and sorrow.
Today, you count on their continued support and intercession. You also look ahead
to the day when you will be united again with all your beloved family and friends. In
this communion of saints, we are already one in Christ Jesus.
—Sr. Marie Beha, osc
37 McCauley Road, Travelers Rest, SC 29690
864-834-8015
www.poorclaresc.com
Page 3
Poor Clare Chronicles 2013
June
Fr.
Michael
Blastic,
OFM
with
Sr.
Bernadette Marie Capolla, OSC, Sr.
Nancy Shively, osc and Sr. Joan
Kimball, OSC
June 9-15— Fr. Michael
Blastic, OFM gave a retreat
on
“The
Four
C’s—
Conversion, Contemplation,
Conversation, Compassion”
as part of our community’s
ongoing formation.
Fr. Michael in Eucharistic
Celebration with our faith
community.
August
August 11— We celebrated the Feast of St. Clare
with Fr. Chris Latham. Afterwards, all enjoyed a
lovely reception provided by “St. Clare’s Angels”!
Fr. Chris Latham and our
community receiving Communion
faith
Angie Finazzo and the beautiful
buffet!
Fr. Chris Latham with our abbess, Sr.
Mary Connor, OSC, and one of “St.
Clare ’s Angels,” Peter Finazzo!
Page 4
August
Sr. Nancy Shively, OSC with
“pilgrims” from St. Mary
Aug. 31— “Pilgrims” who
attended World Youth Day in
Brazil joined us for Adoration,
Evening Prayer and a pizza
supper. They shared with us
their
experiences
and
enthusiastic faith!
Sr. Bernadette Marie Cappola,
OSC and WYD pilgrims!
Magdalene Parish
September
Sept. 6— In gratitude for our
many volunteers, we hosted
a Prayer/Luncheon in their
honor. Good food catered by
the Café at Williams Hardware in Travelers Rest and
good fellowship was enjoyed
by all!
Praying together in our Chapel
Thank you volunteers!
Sr. Annemarie Dudek, OSC, Gail and John
Caulfield, and Sr. Maryann Jenkins, osc
Phoebe Michaels, Sr. Rucia
Rauton, OSC, Emily Lynn,
and Terry Dowlling
Oct. 4— We celebrated
Eucharist in honor of St. Francis
of Assisi!
October
Fr. David Phan, OFM presiding at the
Eucharistic Celebration in honor of St.
Francis
Sr. Annemarie Dudek, OSC getting ready
for the feast!
Fr. David Phan, OFM and
Andrew Henao, our Air Force
cadet!
Page 5
Franciscan Monastery of St. Clare
Travelers Rest, SC
Advent Healing Prayer Service
Sunday, December 8th
Adoration
4:00 p.m.
Evening Prayer
4:30 p.m.
Please print your prayer intentions below, detach and include in the remittance envelope. We will place them in the
Chapel during the Advent Prayer Service and continue to pray for your intentions.
Advent Healing Prayer Service
Sunday, December 8th
Your name___________________________________
Your prayer intentions:_______________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Page 6
Our Poor Clare Connection
Each year on the Feast of St. Clare we are reminded to be grateful for the gifts we receive
everyday....any moment or small signs that fill us with joy and love.
So as it was for me, I vividly remember one
ordinary day pushing a grocery cart with my
infant son safely perched in his baby seat. I
noticed a gentleman who was a casual
acquaintance piling up huge packages of
ground beef in the basket. As I got closer, we
mutually agreed we were there for the same
deal of the week. By coincidence, he was on a
mission to donate the meat to the Poor Clares
and told me a little about the Monastery.
(Editor’s note: This gentleman was Dick Kern,
one of the monastery’s original and most
devoted benefactors!) At the time I didn’t realize that this was a glimpse of, or my first sign to
an eventual connection to the Poor Clares. Although I had a small budget, afterwards, that
brief encounter impressed me to the point that I secretly hoped that someday I would be able
to share with them too. Little did I know, it would not be long before my hope would indeed
come true and enrich my life more than I could have ever imagined.
The over fifty years Monastery of St. Clare building was in disrepair and unsafe. My husband,
Charlie, was assigned to design and coordinate sorely needed renovations (their new home
was not on the radar yet). He was honored and thrilled to be helping the sisters and loved
meeting them. So much so, he was excited and could not wait to bring me there too and
introduce me to his “sixteen new girl friends”. Together we instantly felt the Franciscan sense
of welcoming and warmth the sisters exude gracefully toward everyone. This was a genuine
joyful experience neither of us had ever felt our entire lives in the Catholic Church! Thus our
Poor Clare connection began, an amazing ‘gift‘.
Over the years it has been a privilege to come to know more about the Poor Clares and to be
involved with their prayer community for many beautiful celebrations. We learn by their example
for infinite appreciation of daily gifts however they come to us. We will always be profoundly
grateful for their continuing prayers which give us strength and peace. We truly feel the sisters
are like family to us forever. What a blessed connection it has been.
—Cindy & Charlie Swit, Cheryl and Chris
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Franciscan Monastery of St. Clare
37 McCauley Road
Travelers Rest, SC 29690
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Upcoming Events
Thanksgiving Eucharist
Christmas Eucharist
Thursday
November 28th
Wednesday
December 25th
1 1 :30 A .M.
Presider
Fr. Tom Vigliott a, OFM
Ho milist
Br. Henr y Fulmer, OFM
9:00 A .M.
Presider
Fr. Paul Maier