The war for Westminster’s door is officially closed! 🚪 Archbishop Janani Luwum marches on after defeating Wang Zhiming 58.1% to 41.9%, punching his ticket to the Saintly Sixteen! 🙌

But enough about the guys… today belongs to the sisters! 👑

It’s a holy sibling showdown as Clare of Assisi takes on Scholastica. Will Scholastica follow in the saintly footsteps of her brother Benedict and advance? Or will Clare keep the Franciscan magic alive and chase a Golden Halo like her pal Francis? ✨

Two holy women. One heavenly slot in the Saintly Sixteen.

Watch the video, read the blog, and cast your vote! 🗳️🔥

Clare of Assisi

When you think of saints from Assisi, Clare might not be the very first one who comes to mind, but she’s definitely the second. Hers is something of a riches-to-rags story. Clare was born to a wealthy count in Italy. Her devout mother sparked a keen religious interest in Clare and her two sisters from an early age…so much so that when her parents decided it was time for Clare to be married, she high-tailed it to Francis (as in Saint Francis of Assisi) and pleaded to be admitted to a holy order so she could devote herself entirely to worship and study of Jesus Christ.

Her deep commitment to emulating Christ (and to a lesser extent, Francis) fueled her journey from becoming a teenage nun to co-founding a religious order with Francis himself in 1212, called the Order of Poor Ladies. Later, they would become known as the Order of Saint Clare, now more commonly referred to as the “Poor Clares.” Unsurprisingly, given the name, the order adhered to a vow of strict poverty. So strict, in fact, that Pope Gregory IX nearly forbade them from continuing to follow it, for fear that it was detrimental to the sisters’ health. Even in this, Clare’s faith was unwavering. Her steadfastness convinced the Pope to let her have her way (as a reminder, “her way” was strict poverty). Though her faith made her a powerful force of nature, she was anything but power-hungry; she actively (though unsuccessfully) resisted becoming abbess of the religious order she co-founded, and wanted to be seen more as a servant to her fellow nuns than a master.

The miracle most commonly cited in any story of Clare’s life occurred in 1240, when Saracen armies attacked her convent. A frail Clare prayed over the Eucharist for protection. According to this legend, Clare then revealed the Holy Sacrament to the encroaching army, and they fled at the sight of it, as if blinded.

Another miraculous tale is that Clare, too ill to attend a Christmas mass, was granted a clear vision of the entire service as if she had been there in person. This story is so legendary that, over 700 years later (in 1958), it led to humble Clare being named the patron saint of television!

That said, maybe the most telling triumphs of Clare’s lifetime aren’t the ones that get labeled as “miracles.” Her spiritual influence was so mighty that not only did her two (biological) sisters follow her into the order, but after her father died, her mother joined as well. She is the first woman to write her own Rule for a monastery, in 1252. And just a day or two after learning that her Rule had been approved by the Vatican, Clare died, praising God for the life he had given her. She was canonized only two years after her death.

— Marissa Flaxbart

Collect for Clare of Assisi

O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through his poverty might be rich: Deliver us from an inordinate love of this world, that we, inspired by the devotion of your servant Clare, might serve you with singleness of heart, and attain to the riches of the age to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Scholastica

Scholastica was the founder of the Benedictine order of nuns and the sister of Benedict of Nursia. Born in 480 in Nursia, many traditions say that she was Benedict’s twin. She and Benedict were raised together until he went off to school in Rome.

Scholastica, on the other hand, became a consecrated virgin, and established a community with a handful of other dedicated women in Monte Cassino. Pope Gregory the Great records that she was dedicated to God from an early age, and most likely lived as a consecrated virgin in her parents’ house, then moved near her brother’s monastery when he founded it in Monte Cassino, beginning her own community of nuns.

According to the most famous legend, she and her brother would meet one day each year, to eat together and discuss scripture and spiritual matters. They had a house halfway between their monasteries reserved for this purpose. One day, as they were meeting, Benedict got up to go, but Scholastica requested that he stay the night to spend more time with her. He declined–and suddenly a massive thunderstorm erupted outside. Benedict panicked, but Scholastica calmly reported that since he hadn’t listened to her, she asked God, and God had–so he could leave if he wanted, but she imagined it would be pretty hard. Left without many options, Benedict elected to stay the night, chatting with his sister through the evening about the kingdom of heaven.

Scholastica died three days later in 543, and Benedict saw her soul ascending to heaven as a dove.

She is remembered today as the patron saint of Benedictine nuns, education, children with convulsive disorders, and as providing protection against thunderstorms.

— Megan Castellan

Collect for Scholastica

Assist us, O God, to love one another as sisters and brothers, and to balance discipline with love and rules with compassion, according to the example shown by your servant Scholastica; for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.