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We want to wish you and your families a very blessed Easter.

The Poor Clare Nuns of Andover

On Palm Sunday, March 20, 1212, St. Clare silently left her father’s house in the middle of night and was joined by her Aunt Biana.  They went in haste to the chapel, the Porziunucla, to meet St. Francis and his followers.  It is there that she declared her wish to dedicate her life to God.  She was dressed like a bride in her finest garments and jewels.  St. Clare then discarded them and St. Francis cropped her long golden hair as a sign of her consecration to God, and she was dressed in a poor robe and veil.  St. Francis then placed her in a Benedictine monastery of nuns to learn the life a religious.  Shortly thereafter, her father tried to get her to come home.  However, St. Clare courageously clung to the altar of the church and removing her veil showed her cropped hair to her father, and declared her firm resolve to have no other husband but Jesus Christ.

This year the solemnity of St Joseph is transferred to Monday, March 20th.  Many saints have entrusted themselves to his intercession and have not been disappointed.  Religious orders in particular have found St. Joseph to have been a great help when they have had spiritual and material needs.  Should we not trust St Joseph who was entrusted by God, the Father, with his only begotten Son and the Blessed Virgin Mary?

On Wednesday, March 1st, Lent will begin.  The feast of the Holy Face of Jesus, falls on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  It is appropriate that this feast is right before the season of Lent.  The forty days of this liturgical season are a time of taking account of our lives and our relationship with God.  Furthermore, we are to reflect on the sufferings and ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.  When we look at the image of the Shroud of Turin and in particular at the face of Christ, one can see so clearly the pain and sufferings that Jesus endured for love of us.  During this feast and Lenten season, let us make some acts of love and reparation to our Lord for all that He suffered for us.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus and Holy Face had a great love of this devotion.  For further information, please see the following website:
www.holyfacedevotion.com/

We pray you the gift of FAITH, the blessing of HOPE, and the peace of His LOVE this Christmas and always.

Enfolding you in love and prayer,

Your loving Poor Clare Nuns of Andover, MA

We belong to the Holy Name Federation of Poor Clares.  Please see information about our community on their website.

Please see an article that was published about our community in the Archdiocese of Boston’s Women’s Vocation publication.