You're listening to a podcast on Catholic Saints.

This podcast is produced by the Augustine Institute, an Apostolate helping Catholics

understand, live, and share their faith.

Welcome to Form Now. I'm Tim Gray, President of the Augustine Institute, and joining me is Dr. Ben Acres, who's the executive director of Formed, and one of our professors here at the Augustine Institute. And we're going to talk about since today is August 11th, the Feast of St. Clair. And of course, St. Clair was inspired by St. Francis,

and we'll talk about that. We're going to talk about St. Clair today. And we have a beautiful

icon that Ben has of St. Clair. And, of course, her sisters become known after she dies as

the poor Claire. She wouldn't let them be named after herself during her

lifetime. So they were the poor sisters of San Damiano because they were at the church of St.

Domainano, I believe. And you can see the ancient convent they had that became attached

and added on to the San Damiano Church. And of course, the San Damiano Church is important because that's where

the cross, our Lord, will speak to St. Francis from that cross in San Damiano and say,

Francis, go rebuild my church. And of course, the St. Clair will start the women's side of the

division of the Franciscans, which is really fascinating.

I think it's beautiful that this is where they end up is at San Damiano, the church that he

physically rebuilt. He thought that the Lord was speaking to him to physically rebuild the church.

And then we know metaphorically and spiritually that to rebuild the church through renewal

of calling the church back to poverty, chastity, and obedience.

And that part of how he rebuilt the church was to inspire people to follow him, but also in the

feminine branch with St. Clair to follow.

Right.

And she becomes a key part of the renewal of rebuilding the church.

And, of course, it's not just going to be the sundown on a church.

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