A new sister receives the habit of St Clare in the Poor Clares, Galway

A new sister receives the habit of St Clare in the Poor Clares, Galway

From the Poor Clare Sisters; 

On the Feast of Pentecost, we celebrated, not only the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the Church and to each of us individually, but in a special way in our community, we were thrilled that our postulant Marie, received the habit (which is the distinctive dress of our Order and which signifies consecration to the Lord in the way of St Clare).    

This is a private ceremony, with only the immediate Community present.    In this ceremony, we recall when St Clare left home to follow St Francis, as his first female follower.    This happened on the night of Palm Sunday in 1212, just over eight hundred years ago.    On that fateful night, St Francis cut the beautiful blonde hair of Clare, and she was clothed with the rough sackcloth dress, which was the habit of the Franciscan Order.    In our community, we have always retained the ritual of the cutting of hair as part of the ceremony.   And so as part of the Vigil of the Feast of Pentecost, Marie took a significant step on the journey to committing herself to the Poor Clare way of life.  Symbolising the beginning of a new life in the Lord, Marie received a new name, the name of a saint who will be a special patron to her in her new life.  She is now known, Sr. Brigid Marie of the Sacred Heart.

For more information go to:  http://www.vocationsireland.com/