Ven. Ortolana of AssisiDied: c. 1238, Assisi, ItalyKnown For: being the mother of St. Clare, who started our OrderFun Fact: Once a sick boy was brought to St. Clare and Ortolana's monastery in hopes of a cure. The boy became well, and Clare said it...
Blessed Helen EnselminiBorn: 1208, Padua, ItalyDied: November 4th, 1242, Padua, Italy The picture one often sees of Blessed Helen seems to be portraying a young nun in a mystical ecstasy. Eyes closed, head hanging back, hands gently resting on her chest...
Venerable Chiara Isabella GherziDied: October 27th, 1800, Gubbio, Italy "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Most 12-year-olds, while arguing they're all grown up anyway, will answer with any number of fantastic ideas. But often they know their lives will turn out quite differently. Venerable Chiara...
Born: 1378, Milan, Lombardy, Italy Died: 1444, Pisaro, Italy Known for: founding a reformed community of Poor Clares Fun fact: her younger sister became a Poor Clare as well, and her younger brother became a Franciscan friar! The death of loving parents when a child is young can have...
Born: 1443, Volta, Italy Died: 1514, Mantua, Italy Known For: her heroic fidelity to her contemplative vocation Fun Fact: she entered religious life at age 15! Born into the noble family of Montaldi, Blessed Paula grew up with every privilege a young woman in 15th century Italy could ask for;...
Born: 1224Died: July 24th, 1292, Sandec, Poland Patron Saint of: Poland, Lithuania, Salt MinesKnown For: her special patronage of the Polish peopleFun Fact: her family was filled with saints! Her aunts included Sts. Elizabeth of Hungary, Hedwig, and Agnes of Prague. Her biological sisters were...
Blessed Florida CevoliDied: June 12, 1767Known For: Her close relationship with St. Veronica GuilianiFun Fact: She started all her letters with the phrase, "Jesus amor, fiat voluntus tua" (Jesus my love, thy will be done). A sickly constitution and a privileged background: these two characteristics worried...
Sister Mary of the Holy TrinityBorn: April 26th, 1901, Pretoria, Transvaal, South AfricaDied: June 26th, 1942, Jerusalem, IsraelKnown For: her notes on her conversations with ChristFun Fact: Her Poor Clare community in Jerusalem often rose at Midnight to say, not Matins, but the Rosary. This...
Blessed Marie Celine of the PresentationFeast Day: May 30thBorn: May 23rd, 1878, Nojals, Dordogne, FranceDied: May 30th, 1897, Talence, FranceKnown For: her heroic example as a young nunFun Fact: Her legal name was Emilie-Julie. She was baptized Jeanne, but her father called her Germaine after...
Venerable Veronica von Elmendorff Born: June 16, 1845, Oldenburg Germany Died: 1904, Chicago, Illinois Known for: Founding the first Poor Clare Colettine community in the United States Fun Fact: Her funeral Mass was offered by Bishop Peter Muldoon, who would later become the first bishop of the Rockford Diocese! ...