“What a great and worthy exchange – To leave the things of time for those of eternity, To choose the things of heaven for the goods of earth, To receive the hundred-fold in place of the one. And to possess a blessed and eternal life.”

The Novena to St. Clare begins today (Providentially, the novena begins on the very day when the Franciscan world celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels and the Portiuncula Indulgence). 

You can download the Novena here: Novena Prayer to St. Clare .  Also, please email your prayer intentions for the Novena, so that we can join your intentions to ours as we ask for the intercession of Our Holy Mother Clare!

This is the perfect opportunity to announce that by Papal Degree honoring the 800th Anniversary of the Founding of the Poor Clare Nuns, a plenary Jubilee Indulgence may be gained (until August 11th, 2012)

  1. by all the faithful: once in a Poor Clare church (which includes Our Lady of Solitude Chapel, in Tonopah, AZ) on any day freely chosen; on every occasion they take part in devout pilgrimages as a group to the aforesaid holy places
  2. if they devoutly assist at jubilee celebrations: on the Feast of St Clare (11th August 2011 and 2012) as well as on the Feast of the Seraphic Father St Francis (4th October 2011), during the tridua immediately preceding these feasts, and on other days to be properly determined (to be announced in the future).

Additional requirements to gain the indulgence include spending some time in quiet meditation concluding with the Creed, the Our Father, and invocations to Our Lady, St. Francis and St. Clare.  The usual conditions to gain an indulgence must also be met within 8 days: Sacramental Confession, Eucharstic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the Pope.  In the next year, events will be planned to celebrate the 800th Anniversary and to encourage as many faithful as possible to gain the indulgence.  To read the full degree, click here.  We are profoundly grateful for this outpouring of love from Pope Benedict XVI, in offering this indulgence!

Finally, our Communal retreat begins on Aug. 3rd and concludes the evening of the 10th – in preparation for the celebration of St. Clare’s Solemnity.  The Sisters and I appreciate your prayers for a fruitful and blessed retreat.  Our retreat director came to us all the way from Toronto, Canada: Fr. Marco Testa. Our retreat will conclude with the celebration of the Transitus of St. Clare – a celebration that is open to the public…so please join us at Our Lady of Solitude Chapel on Wednesday evening, August 10th, at 6:30 p.m.  The transitus celebration includes 1st Vespers of the Solemnity of Our Holy Mother Clare, the reading of the account of her death, a brief reflection by Fr. Marco, a litany in her honor, and the veneration of her relic. 

The Mass of the Solemnity of St. Clare will be celebrated on August 11th at 8 a.m.

Also, be sure to check out the Construction Blog – some beautiful new stained glass was installed and the blog is chock-full of photos!