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Clare's Rule: Weaving Together Law and Life
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Clare's Rule: Weaving Together Law And Life Roberta McKelvie, O.S.F. Clare of Assisi (1192-1253) is perhaps one of the most remarkable women of the Middle Ages. For centuries, however , her accomplishments have been seen through the filter of the fame of her "spiritual father," Francis of Assisi. But as we approach the 800th anniversary of Clare's birth, more and more people are acknowledging that the Franciscan Movement of the Middle Ages did have a feminine side, a co-equal founding of a new way of life for religious women. Many are coming to understand that Clare of Assisi personified the feminine incarnation of the Franciscan Charism. In 1989, Sr. Margaret Carney, OSF, submitted a doctoral dissertation developing that perception to the Institute of Franciscan Spirituality of the Pontificium Athenaeum "Antonianum" in Rome.1 It is from reflection on that dissertation that this "Weaving Together of Law and Life" approach to Clare's Rule has emerged. 1 Margaret Carney, O.S.F., "Clare of Assisi: the Feminine Incarnation of Franciscan Evangelical Life," (Rome: Pontificium Athenaeum Antonianium, 1989). Page numbers are based upon manuscript prepared for publication. 2 / McKelvie It is critically important to place both the life of Clare and her writing of a Rule within the context and environment of reform within the Church of the Middle Ages. In the centuryand -a-half preceding Clare's life, what we now refer to as canon law had its inception and childhood. It was undoubtedly going through a developmental process in the late 12th - early 13th centuries in response to the remarkable changes going on in both secular and ecclesial institutions, as well as in response to the greatly diverse forms of religious expression found in the penitential movement of western Europe. The "institutionalizing" nature of law and this Church reform was a reality from which neither Francis nor Clare could extract themselves. Having said that, it is worthwhile to recognize that the components of Clare's Rule originated on several different levels. The image of a tapestry, of a weaving together of threads of different color and texture is most helpful in visualizing some of these components.2 The first thread is the Franciscan vocation itself: the call to literal living-out of the Gospel in brotherhood/ sisterhood with all persons and with creation itself. In its original forms, this was definitely a "non-institutionalized" vocation. 2 This image of weaving is derived from the importance of weaving as means of self-support of many women in the Middle Ages, and from conversations with Sr. Margaret Carney concerning the contents of her manuscript (see pages 74ff). There is also a marvelous piece of art called "Weaving the Terrestrial Mantle" which is also part of the concept as I use it. [35.171.182.239] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 12:15 GMT) Clare's Rule / 3 The second thread is the concept of law--the reality of the Church-in-reform having certain expectations which had to be responded to by Clare. Some of these expectations were similar to Clare's understanding of her vocation, some were not. Attempting to distinguish between these kinds of expectations is problematic. However, the beauty of a marvelous truth emerges from a careful analysis of the text of her Rule: the legal, institutional aspects of the document are never permitted by Clare to overshadow in any way the essence of her vision of Gospel living. The remaining threads identified for the purpose of this presentation are actually subsections or variations of the first two. A third thread in the tapestry is Clare's focus on living poorly,--"in highest poverty" is her phrase--in imitation of Jesus's life revealed in the Gospels. But it is imperative to also note that Clare did not merely imitate Francis's understanding of poverty, as we shall see in her Rule. The fourth thread is the concept of living by the work of one's hands--in the beguine mode of the era, if you will--and the equal sharing of all aspects of life. What Innocent III had granted in the Privilege of Poverty Clare applied to every aspect of life at San Damiano. It is the broad application of Clare's understanding of "highest poverty" which is the heart of her Rule and which permeates every description of the way the sisters are to live together. 4 / McKelvie The fifth thread in the weaving is Clare's understanding that each member...