Franciscans Visit the Poor Clares in New Jersey

The Poor Clares and their Franciscan guests

Some time ago, Friar Bard Milunski and the Conventual Franciscan Postulants traveled to the Poor Clares Monastery in Chesterfield, New Jersey – a rural community southeast of Trenton. Together the Franciscans celebrated Mass and had a pizza lunch. As the afternoon hours passed, the postulants from both Orders shared their vocation stories with the rest of the group. The Poor Clares have actually recently welcomed two new postulants to their midst – Karen and Nelia. Karen is a lawyer by training while Nelia is a qualified nurse.

The Chesterfield, New Jersey area

During a more general conversation, the Conventual Franciscan postulants learned about what it is like to live life as a Poor Clare. Francis and Clare of Assisi were both called by God. First Francis felt his vocation; later Clare also heard the call from God through the words and deeds of Francis himself. It is therefore important that the Conventual Franciscans and Clares understand their common history and remember that that they will always be brothers and sisters serving the Lord.

(Sources for all related photos on homepage and webpage: Jaffe Communications Inc's photostream at flickr.com, Conventual Franciscan Friars Immaculate Conception Province Provincialgram, and Sister Claire Andre's Facebook account.)