As a young college student anxiously trying to discern my vocation, I felt torn between the family and friends whom I love so much and the desire in my heart to dedicate myself to God. In my searching for what to do, I visited Assisi while I was studying abroad in Italy. I was immediately inspired by the story of St. Clare through the frescoes of her life in the Basilica of St. Clare. As I knelt down at her tomb, I begged her for guidance and asked her how she was so courageous in following God’s will. Beginning at that moment, she has been a source of encouragement and strength for me. Now that I have read more about St. Clare’s life, I see myself reflected in her and connect with her call “to be a light to the world”. When it finally came time to pick a religious name, I was excited to choose Sister M. Chiara. Chiara is the Italian form of Clare, and means the clear one. I pray that, like St. Clare, I may be a clear light for God to shine through for the Church and the world.
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