Poor Sisters of Saint Clare

[Kateri89]

What do y'all know about them?  They're tough to get to know about unless you write them directly which I may very well have to do.  In the meantime this is what I know about them:

-They're strictly cloistered

-They have the Latin Novus Ordo (I think, but it could be the EF)

-They are very austere in their poverty (similar to Capuchins)

-They are in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Anything else?

[NadaTeTurbe]

Aren't they related to a male order of franciscans ? Sure there was a thread on the male branch, a few month ago... 

[be_thou_my_vision]

Yes, they are related to the Franciscan Friars Minor there in Fort Wayne. 

[MarysLittleFlower]

I'm interested if they have the EF

[be_thou_my_vision]

I'm not sure if they have the EF. I know they are very austere and strictly cloistered. You can write to Mother Celeste. I'm sure she'd be happy to answer your questions.

Edited January 17, 2016 by be_thou_my_vision

[inperpetuity]

11 hours ago, MarysLittleFlower said:

I'm interested if they have the EF

I was told by a priest who knows them well that they have it rarely or only when a visiting priest says it for them.

[das8949]

Below please find some info I found about them:

Posted 28 Mar 2012 · Report post

An announcement from the Franciscan Brothers Minor, a primitive observance community in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. http://www.franciscanbrothersminor.com/FBM/Home_1.html


Dear Friends,

Pax et Bonum!

It is my joy to announce to you that on August 9th, 2012 the anniversary of St. Clare receiving the approval of her Rule, and in the 8th Centenary of her Conversion, Our Sisters, The Franciscan Sisters Minor, will be embracing the true and authentic feminine expression of our Franciscan Charism.

Through prayer, discernment and the approval of Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, our Benevolent Ordinary, the Sisters will be whole heartedly embracing the Rule and Life of St. Clare of Assisi.

This means that they will be a Cloistered Contemplative Community embracing the radical living of St. Clare’s original Rule, something that, as far as we know, no other monastery is doing. Particular to our Sisters will be the Rule of poverty and the Marian Vow.

Since the summer we friars have been tirelessly renovating our friary and old St. Andrews Church to be the new home for the Sisters. Mother Celeste Marie and the Sisters will be moving into our friary at 2610 New Haven Ave, while we move out to St. Andrew’s old Convent located at the far back corner of the parking lot.

Not much will change at the Oratory. We’ll still have our usual Masses, First Saturday, youth group and so on. The only difference is now the Sisters, not us, will be praying on the other side of the wall.

We Friars have tremendous joy in turning over our home to the Sisters. The first thing St. Francis did, before ever starting the Order of Friars Minor, was to rebuild San Damiano with a prophetic joy. Joyfully he would hang off the scaffolding and sing out in French: “Come and help me rebuild this Church which will be the home of poor sisters who will glorify God with their livesâ€. We Friars now know the joy of St. Francis!

The Sisters are soon to be the only Cloistered Community in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. By their life of prayer, penance and fraternity they hope to rain down grace upon the diocese.

Please Join us on: August 9th to celebrate with Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades for:
“The Solemn Mass of Enclosureâ€

At the Mass Mother Celeste Marie will be installed as Abbess. The day before, August 8th we will be having an open house and a formal farewell to our Sisters.
All are invited to attend!

Keep Checking in for updates and times of Events.[/b

[quote name='ACS67' timestamp='1332936176' post='2409603']
Marigold,
I am actually in contact with this particular community of Sisters. I believe what Fr. David means is that "originally" (and they follow the original charism and rule) Franciscan Friars never owned or operated hospitals, they never owned or operated schools, etc. Franciscan nuns (Poor Clares, or Poor Sisters as they were known originally) were cloistered. There was no other option for a woman wishing to follow the Franciscan rule. All of the "social" apostolates of the Fransicans developed much later.


Exactly... good example of the 'three' ways of being a mendicant:

First Order - Friars
Second Order - Cloistered Nuns
Third Order - 2 branches -- laity and apostolic sisters and brothers who live in community but are not cloistered

Interesting that St. Dominic founded the cloistered Nuns first.... and that the Carmelite Nuns ended up 'forming' out of Beguine groups (which are essentially lay women living in community) that had spiritual guidance from the Carmelites... kind of Third Order to Second Order switch. (Before the time of St. Teresa, btw...)

Lots of the apostolic communities (Domincian sisters of various flavors, for example) came out of Second Order Monasteries - that developed apostolates like teaching, nursing and social work... and especially in America, it just wasn't practical to have an in-cloister monastery, so they made the choice to regroup into what would become third order Sisters. But that is why so many Dominican Sister communities trace their origins to the Brooklyn Domincan community that originally came from Regensberg.

Even the Discalced Carmelite nuns at times have run schools (seriously!) -- the earliest ones in the U.S. ran a school, and they ran schools in Ireland and I think in England... but they were VERY glad when they were able to turn over that work to apostolic communities as soon as they could and reclaim their cloistered vocation... much like what seems to be happening with these Sisters.

I wish them peace and all good as they move into this next phase in their service of the Lord! Edited 28 Mar 2012 by AnneLine

 Props

  Quote

http://www.todayscatholicnews.org/2012/08/poor-sisters-of-saint-claire/

 

 

 

 

[Kateri89]

Well as far as the Mass goes, I have to imagine that they have either the EF or the Latin Novus Ordo based on the altar alone.  Here is a pic of the chapel where the Sisters celebrate Mass.

 

There's no way for the priest to say Mass facing the congregation and I've never heard of a Novus Ordo in the vernacular said ad orientem.  My conclusion is purely by deductive reasoning so if I'm wrong please correct me.

[truthfinder]

27 minutes ago, Kateri89 said:

Well as far as the Mass goes, I have to imagine that they have either the EF or the Latin Novus Ordo based on the altar alone.  Here is a pic of the chapel where the Sisters celebrate Mass.

 

 

There's no way for the priest to say Mass facing the congregation and I've never heard of a Novus Ordo in the vernacular said ad orientem.  My conclusion is purely by deductive reasoning so if I'm wrong please correct me.

You totally can have any OF on an ad orientem altar - it has nothing to do with what language it's done in.  

[Kateri89]

2 minutes ago, truthfinder said:

You totally can have any OF on an ad orientem altar - it has nothing to do with what language it's done in.  

Ok then I could definitely be wrong about the form of the Mass they celebrate.  I've just never known any OF Mass said ad orientem unless it's the Latin Novus Ordo.

[Julie]

1 minute ago, Kateri89 said:

Ok then I could definitely be wrong about the form of the Mass they celebrate.  I've just never known any OF Mass said ad orientem unless it's the Latin Novus Ordo.

I was like "I know one every Saturday!" But then you said "unless it's in Latin" Soooooo never mind.

[truthfinder]

17 minutes ago, Kateri89 said:

Ok then I could definitely be wrong about the form of the Mass they celebrate.  I've just never known any OF Mass said ad orientem unless it's the Latin Novus Ordo.

Well, based on the missal on the altar, the lack of other cards, and the missal's position during the homily, it's pretty safe to say that this Mass was an OF (of course I can't tell the language). 

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

It's too bad the Sister's Mass chapel is gone. They really should be able to see the altar and the Mass.

[Pax_et bonum]

50 minutes ago, Sr Mary Catharine OP said:

It's too bad the Sister's Mass chapel is gone. They really should be able to see the altar and the Mass.

It's not gone as far as I know! That must be an older picture from before they became the Poor Sisters of St. Clare. They still have the side chapel with the grate and curtain/veil. The curtain is raised at the alleluia and lowered again after the sisters receive the Eucharist. Here's some slideshows from when they became cloistered: Vespers, Blessings, and Family, Open House, Enclosure Mass 1, and 2.

[vee]

Im amused at their statues Franciscan Franciscan Franciscan St Therese Franciscan Franciscan