Testament of St. Clare, Virgin
Opinions on the Testament are divided. According to some scholars it is not a work of St. Clare but a text written much later, after her death. Most historians, however, accept the authenticity of the Testament.
It would be strange if Clare, who lived 19 years longer than Francis and had more time in her solitude at San Damiano to reflect on the past and the future, had not left her sisters a testament, as Francis, devoted to the apostolate of the word and afflicted by serious illness, left one to his brothers.
Clare's Testament gives a short outline of her life. It tells of her conversion, of the founding of the Order and of the matters for which she fought ardently all her life: holy poverty and the bond between her Order and the First Franciscan Order. Clare speaks with emotion of St. Francis, whom she always calls the founder of the Order, calling herself only his "little plant".
At the end of the Testament she addresses words full of heartfelt love to those who will succeed her as abbesses and to all the sisters, asking them to remain always faithful to their lofty vocation.
1 In the name of the Lord (Col 3:17). Amen.
2 Among the many gifts we have received and daily receive from our generous Giver, the Father of mercies (2 Cor 1:3), for which we must give heartfelt thanks to our glorious Benefactor, is the great gift of our vocation;
3 and the more perfect and greater it is, the more we owe to God.
4 That is why the Apostle says: Consider your vocation (cf. 1 Cor 1:26).
5 The Son of God became for us the way (cf. Jn 14:6), which our holy Father Francis, His true lover and imitator, showed and taught us by word and example (cf. 1 Tim 4:12).
6 Therefore, beloved sisters, we must consider the immeasurable gifts God has showered upon us,
7 especially those He has worked in us through His beloved servant, our holy Father Francis,
8 not only after our conversion but while we were still living among the vanities of the world.
9 For the Saint himself, when he had as yet neither brothers nor companions, and was busy, right after his conversion,
10 rebuilding the church of San Damiano, where he was filled with divine consolation and moved to leave the world completely,
11 in a surge of great joy and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, foretold about us what the Lord later fulfilled.
12 For he climbed the wall of that church and called out loudly in French to some poor people standing nearby:
13 Come and help me in the work on the monastery of San Damiano,
14 for ladies will live here whose renown and holy life will glorify our heavenly Father (cf. Mt 5:16) throughout His holy Church.
15 In this event, then, we can admire the great kindness of God towards us,
16 who in His abundant mercy and love deigned to speak these words through His Saint about our vocation and election (cf. 2 Pet 1:10).
17 And our holy Father foretold this not only about us but also about others who would follow the holy vocation to which the Lord has called us.
18 With what care, then, with what zeal of spirit and body we must fulfil the commands of God and of our Father, so that with the Lord's help we may return to Him the talent multiplied (cf. Mt 25:15-23).
19 For the Lord Himself has set us as a model and mirror, an example not only for others but also for our sisters whom He has called to our way of life,
20 so that they in turn may be a mirror and example to those living in the world.
21 Since, then, the Lord has called us to so great a task, that those who are an example and mirror for others may take us as their model,
22 we are especially bound to bless and praise the Lord and to be strengthened in Him to do good.
23 Therefore, if we live according to this form of life, we will leave others a noble example (cf. 2 Macc 6:28.31) and by brief labour we will win the prize of eternal happiness (Phil 3:14).
24 When the Most High heavenly Father deigned in His mercy to enlighten my heart by His grace, so that I might do penance after the example and teaching of our holy Father Francis,
25 shortly after his conversion, together with a few sisters whom the Lord had given me soon after my conversion, I freely promised him obedience,
26 just as the Lord had given us the light of His grace through the glorious life and teaching of St. Francis.
27 And he, seeing that we were physically weak and frail, yet did not shrink from want, poverty, hard work, trials, or the disregard and contempt of the world,
28 but, following the example of the saints and of his brothers, considered these things a great delight, rejoiced greatly in the Lord,
29 and out of love for us pledged that he himself and his Order would always surround us with loving care and attention, as he did his brothers.
30 And so, by the will of the Lord and of our holy Father Francis, we went to the church of San Damiano to live there.
31 There, in a short time, the Lord in His mercy and grace increased our number, so that what He had foretold through His Saint might be fulfilled.
32 We had stayed in another place before, but only for a very short time.
33 Afterwards he wrote a form of life for us, insisting above all that we always persevere in holy poverty.
34 And he was not content to encourage us during his life to love and observe most holy poverty by many teachings and by his example (cf. Acts 20:2), but also left us many writings, so that after his death we would never turn away from poverty.
35 In the same way the Son of God, while He lived in the world, never wished to depart from holy poverty.
36 And our holy Father Francis, following in His footsteps (cf. 1 Pet 2:21), never departed while he lived, either in his example or in his teaching, from the holy poverty he had chosen for himself and his brothers.
37 I, Clare, unworthy servant of Christ and of the poor sisters of the monastery of San Damiano and little plant of the holy Father, reflecting with my other sisters on our lofty profession and on the command of so great a Father,
38 and on the weakness of others, which we feared for ourselves as well after the death of our holy Father Francis, our pillar, our only consolation after God and our support (cf. 1 Tim 3:15),
39 have again and again freely renewed with my sisters our commitment to our Lady, most holy poverty, so that the sisters who are here now and those who will come after my death may in no way depart from it.
40 And as I have always zealously tried to observe the holy poverty we promised the Lord and our holy Father Francis, and to see that the other sisters observed it,
41 so the sisters who succeed me in office must themselves observe it and see that the others observe it.
42 For greater security I took care that the Holy Father Innocent, in whose time we began, and his other successors would confirm with their privileges our profession of most holy poverty, which we also promised our Father,
43 so that we might never in any way depart from it.
44 Therefore, kneeling and bowing deeply in soul and body, I commend all my sisters, present and future, to our holy Mother, the Roman Church, to the Holy Father and especially to the Cardinal who will be appointed for the Order of Friars Minor and for us.
45 For the love of the Lord, who was laid poor in a manger (Lk 2:12), lived poor and hung naked on the cross,
46 may the Cardinal Protector see to it that this "little flock" (cf. Lk 12:32), which God the Father raised up in His holy Church through the word and example of St. Francis, who imitated the poverty and humility of the beloved Son of God and of His glorious Virgin Mother,
47 always observes the holy poverty we promised God and our holy Father Francis, and may he strengthen and preserve the sisters in this poverty.
48 The Lord gave us our holy Father Francis as founder, planter and helper in the service of Christ and in what we promised God and our Father himself,
49 who during his life surrounded us, his little plant, with loving care in word and deed.
50 So I also commend all my sisters, present and future, to the successor of our holy Father Francis and to the whole Order,
51 that they may help us to serve God ever better and above all to observe most holy poverty.
52 And if it should ever happen that these sisters leave this place and move elsewhere, then wherever they may be, even after my death, they must observe this form of poverty which we promised God and our holy Father Francis.
53 Let both the sister who holds my office and the others take care and remember not to acquire or accept around the monastery more land than is truly necessary for a garden to grow vegetables.
54 And if it should ever be necessary to have more land beyond the garden wall for the proper seclusion of the monastery, let them allow only as much to be acquired as true necessity requires.
55 This land is not to be cultivated or sown, but is always to lie fallow.
56 I admonish and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ all my sisters, present and future, always to strive to follow the way of holy simplicity, humility and poverty, and to lead a holy life,
57 as we were taught by our holy Father Francis from the beginning of our conversion to Christ.
58 In this way, not by our own merits but only by the mercy of God and the grace of the generous Giver, the Father of mercies Himself (2 Cor 1:3), they will always spread the fragrance of a good name both to those who are far away and to those who are near (cf. 2 Cor 2:15).
59 Love one another with the love of Christ, and let the love you have in your hearts be shown outwardly in deeds,
60 so that the sisters, encouraged by this example, may always grow in the love of God and in love for one another.
61 I also ask the sister who will hold office to strive to lead the sisters more by virtue and holy life than by her office,
62 so that, drawn by her example, the sisters may obey her not so much because of her office as out of love.
63 Let her also be caring and prudent towards the sisters, as a good mother is towards her daughters.
64 And let her above all take care to provide for each sister according to her needs from what the Lord gives them.
65 Let her also be so kind and approachable that they may freely make their needs known
66 and turn to her with confidence at any time, as they see fit, on their own behalf and on behalf of the other sisters.
67 And let the sisters who are subjects remember that for the Lord they have given up their own will;
68 therefore I wish them to obey their mother, as they freely promised the Lord,
69 so that, seeing the mutual love, humility and unity among the sisters, the mother may bear the burden of her office more lightly,
70 and through the holy life of the sisters what is painful and bitter may be turned into sweetness for her.
71 And since the way and the path are narrow and the gate by which one goes and enters into life is strait, there are few who walk on it (cf. Mt 7:14) and enter.
72 And if there are some who walk on it for a time, very few persevere on it to the end.
73 Blessed are those to whom it is given to walk (cf. Ps 119:1) on this way and to persevere on it to the end (cf. Mt 10:22).
74 Having once entered on the way of the Lord, then, let us take care never to turn aside from it in any way through our own fault, negligence or ignorance,
75 and not bring shame on so great a Lord, on His Virgin Mother, on our holy Father Francis, on the Church triumphant and also on the Church militant.
76 For it is written: Cursed are those who turn away from your commandments (Ps 119:21).
77 That is why I bend my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 3:14), that through the merits of the glorious Virgin, His holy Mother, of our holy Father Francis and of all the saints,
78 the Lord Himself, who has given a good beginning, may give the increase (cf. 2 Cor 8:6.11; 1 Cor 3:6-7) and perseverance to the end. Amen.
79 I leave this writing, so that it may be better observed, to you, my dearest and most beloved sisters, present and future, as a sign of the blessing of the Lord and of our holy Father Francis, and of my blessing, your mother and servant.
Translated from the Polish edition of the writings of St. Clare.