Association of British Contemplatives Directory

The Poor Clares began in 1212 when Clare ran away to join Francis of Assissi and to follow him in his literal living of the Gospel. To this day the desire and goal of the Poor Clares is, as Clare wrote in her Rule: To observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without anything of one's own and in chastity'. (Rule: Chp. 1 v.2)

Clare's genius lies in the way she translated Francis' vision for his roving band of followers, into a way of life for enclosed women, while still retaining an insight so accurate that the Poor Clares are an essential part of the Franciscan charism.

One of Clare's deepest longings was to rely solely on God in all things, material as well as spiritual, and so Poor Clares live without capital, investments or endowments, trusting that God who called them will also care for them. From this arises a desire to offer the witness of their readiness to run real risks of improvidence, to be seen to leave a margin for miracles in their financial arrangements and at the same time to live with a joyful sense of kinship with the poor and dispossessed. There should be about a Poor Clare all the freedom and joy of those who have lost everything and have found that Christ is so marvellous that all the rest is no loss at all. To this day Poor Clares try to live 'observing Holy Unity and Most High Poverty' and by joyful penance to pray always, interceding for individuals and the world, and praising God for every flowering plant and every human being.

Further Information

Further information can be obtained from the Mother Abbess of any of the following Poor Clare houses:

Convent of Poor Clares Cross Bush ARUNDEL West Sussex BN1879PJ e-mail: poorclares@crossbusharundel.freeserve.co.uk Website:www.poorclaresarundel.org Franciscan Community 22 Upper Church Road St Leonards-on-Sea East Sussex TN37 7AS Tel: 01424 751 214 e-mail:ft2002@tiscali.co.uk  Poor Clare Monastery 102 Galley Lane Arkley BARNET Herts EN5 4AN Monastery of Poor Clares ELLESMERE Shropshire SY12 0PA Poor Clare Monastery Fallside Road Bothwell GLASGOW G71 8BA e-mail:monastery@poorclares.freeserve.co.uk website:www.poorclaresscotland.co.uk Poor Clare Monastery MUCH BIRCH Hereford HR2 8PS e-mail: muchbirch@aol.com Monastery of St Joseph Lawrence Street YORK YO10 3EB

Ty Mam Duw Poor Clare Colettine Community Upper Aston Hall Lane HAWARDEN Deeside CH5 3EN Website: www.poorclarestmd.org Monastery of Poor Clares Rising Lane Baddesley Clinton KNOWLE Solihull West Midlands B93 0DE The Poor Clares Mount Alvernia 2 Humbie Mains East Lothian EH36 5PW e-mail: Humbiepcs@aol.com Monastery of Poor Clares Lee Road LYNTON North Devon EX35 6BX e-mail:sisters@poorclares.co.uk Website: www.poorclares.co.uk Monastery of Poor Clares Brooklyn Road Bulwell NOTTINGHAM NG6 SET e-mail:poorclares.bulwell@btinternet.com Convent of Poor Clares WOODCHESTER Stroud Gloucestershire GL5 5HS

 

The Irish Poor Clares are represented at Southampton, Neath (Glamorgan) and Bothwell ( Glasgow ).
Our Anglican Sisters have lived the Poor Clare life at Freeland near Oxford since 1950. (see page 33)