Guided by St. Clare
Our order was founded in 1212 by St. Clare of Assisi who was inspired by her friend, St. Francis of Assisi. Following the example of Clare, we choose to set aside family, career, travel, and security in exchange for a singular life within a community. Logic cannot explain our desire to spend the day in prayer. Our way of life can only be explained as a call from God.
Decades of service and a new home
We began our contemplative life in Minneapolis, MN. In 1991, Kenneth Untener, the late Bishop of Saginaw, MI, invited a group of us to leave our home monastery in Minnesota and come to Michigan. There we lived as a praying community, sharing the Gospel and the healing power of prayer.
During our past 33 years in the Saginaw diocese, two of our sisters died, leaving just two of us. Care for our house and yard became harder. We wanted more sisters to be our companions in prayer and community. Realizing our physical limitations, we felt the spirit was asking us to leave Michigan even though we had fallen in love with the people in the diocese.
After talking with several communities of sisters, we decided to move to Wheaton, IL, where the Wheaton Franciscan sisters offered us a quiet area in their motherhouse to continue our prayer life and share community and liturgy with them. The Wheaton Franciscans have warmly welcomed us and we are fortunate to live with vowed sisters who have vast experience in bringing the faith to their ministries.