Bishop Nelson Perez and a group of priests from the Diocese of Cleveland are traveling to Rome and Assisi for a pilgrimage and retreat. Father Dan Schlegel, secretary and vicar for clergy and religious, is sharing some of their experiences. Below is a recap of the eighth and final day of their travels.
The Basilica of Saint Clare in Assisi is dedicated to and contains the remains of Saint Clare of Assisi, a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi and founder of the Order of Poor Ladies, known today as the Order of Saint Clare.
Saint Clare’s body was discovered in 1850 and while her clothing had disintegrated, her bones were intact and moved to the church bearing her name which was built in 1260. In this church the famous San Damiano crucifix, from which Saint Francis heard the Lord speak, is displayed. It is in the Church of Saint Clare where we celebrated our final Mass of this pilgrimage.
Msgr. McNamara spoke of the humility and poverty of St. Francis. These gifts made Francis approachable and human - being able to converse with all of creation - including the sun, the moon, the stars, and the animals. In a world too often filled with competition, prestige, power and fame, the message of Saint Francis brings us back down to earth, back to the simplicity of life and the things of true value and worth.
It is this message that we bring home with us after a week of pilgrimage, prayer, fraternity and dialogue. We return with hearts filled with pleasant memories, peaceful thoughts and joyful connection to the Lord, to the spirit of Saint Francis and to one another.
Father Dan Schlegel