Monastery News for 2025

NEWS FROM THE WESTWOOD CLARES

Our God is a God of surprises! An American Pope!? We begin our Tidings by rejoicing with you over the good news of Pope Leo XIV’s election and we join with you in supporting him with our prayer.

May

Following our visitation with Fr. Russel Murray, OFM, and Sr. Mary Connor, OSC, our Chapter of elections on May 30th witnessed another new beginning. Our new Abbess is Sr. Mary Veronica McGuff. Our new Vicaress, Sr. Mary Rigodon. Councilors: Sisters Clare Frances McAvoy, Judith Ann Crosby, and Mary Francis Hone.

July

On July 26th, Sr. Clare Frances celebrated her 70th Jubilee from entrance. We gifted sister with the Drone she’s been wanting. It’s just a basic model but she’s having fun flying it.

August

Fr. Brian Smail, OFM, preached our Triduum in honor of Saint Clare. We’re always happy to have our friars with us, as we are further away from them since we moved here. We were so happy he returned for the Solemnity of St. Francis. Our Franciscan sisters joined us, as they often do, so we took a picture of the three Orders together to commemorate St. Francis’ 850th Anniversary.

September

Our little Guest House is increasingly booked. Sr. Mary Veronica’s sister, Dr. Pat Schneider, up from Louisiana, enjoyed its cozy peace during her stay. A previous owner enlightened us concerning the history of the farm house as a hiding place for the Underground Railroad. Our address- Gay Street – is named for Moses Gay’s 1000 acre farm on this land at that ime. Another welcome guest was Fr. James Koury, a Melkite priest with Roman faculties who was down from Utica, NY for a few days. He was a faithful friend at JP for years, one we could always count on for Mass and conferences, as well as his delicious culinary arts. We recounted happy memories while enjoying lunch with our dear friend.

October

Fr. Tom Boudreau, who regularly offers Eucharist for us, celebrated his 30th year of Ordination on October 4th. Since his big day was fully booked, we invited him to a little party beforehand. We had heard a lot about Uno, his parish’s adorable Boston Terrier mascot. He was the star of our little party.

Creation

Although September was dedicated to the celebration of God’s creation, surrounded as we are with natural beauty, every day of every month proclaims that every tree, every flower, every little critter is holy and is sustained by God’s love.

Building for New Members

Our land is one of the three largest conservancies in Westwood. The parameters within which we can build are designated. We still have some loops to jump through before we can build the 12 additional rooms we need for new members. Our new chapel will also be larger to accommodate more people. An extension to our refectory is also needed for the new sisters.

Saint Francis

Saint Francis has arrived! At last, the statue that welcomed everyone to our home in JP is now here to greet our new friends here in Westwood. Fr. John Tokaz, OFM Cap., gave us a wonderful retreat centered upon Franciscan Spirituality. This week was made extra special by daily Benediction. Now we go forward in peace and hope, trusting that all is progressing in God’s good time.

October

On October 12th, we commemorated the 150th Anniversary of Mother Maddalena’s arrival in the USA. A large plaque with an explanation of this day was placed in the chapel so the people could learn about her. On October 15th we united with all our Sisters and Brothers of the Three Orders for the Franciscan Day holy hour.

December

At last, we were able to get us all together for a Christmas Picture.

With love and blessings to all from your Poor Clares of Westwood.

Memorial for Sr. Mary Magdalen – On February 11, 2025

Sr. Mary Magdalen Fitz-Gerald, 1931 – 2025

Our beloved Sister Mary Magdalen of the Sacred Heart (Julia Marie Rose) was a Poor Clare for 70 years, serving as Vicaress, Directress of Novices, secretary, seamstress, receptionist, cook, and wherever she was needed.
The day before her Jubilee celebration she fell and had to be hospitalized. We were arranging to bring her home when sister entered into God, quietly and peacefully, as she had lived, on February 11th, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, at the age of 94.
Sister Mary Magdalen is the first person to be buried from our new monastery here in Westwood. Following the Mass of Resurrection, sister joined all the deceased sisters of our community at our plot in Mount Benedict Cemetery in West Roxbury, MA.

Annual Triduum of St. Clare of Assisi

Annual Triduum of St. Clare of Assisi

As we continue to settle into our beautiful new space here in Westwood, we are grateful for your continued support and patience. We would like to welcome you all to attend the annual Triduum of prayer to our Holy Mother Saint Clare which will take place at morning Mass on August 8, 9, & 10 at 7 a.m. On the feast, August 11th, Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Our present chapel is small but we hope to have a larger chapel in the future. Those who cannot come are encouraged to send in their intentions for the Triduum to be included in our Mass and prayers.

“Why do you not come to me to be healed?”

In an epilogue of the ancient Life of Saint Clare, one of the most endearing miracles in Franciscan History is related. A blind man had a vision in which he heard a beautiful lady saying to him, “Why do you not come to me to be healed?” Upon learning that this lady was the blessed Clare of Assisi, sightless Giacobello eagerly set out to visit her tomb, there to receive what he had so long desired: his vision.

The gracious and gentle Saint Clare is still asking the weak and ill of today, “Why do you not come to me to be healed?” No stranger to suffering, she bore the cross of illness for more than 28 years. This first spiritual daughter of St. Francis still desires to help those who suffer to share as deeply and as fruitfully as she did in the mystery of Christ’s redemptive love.

We Poor Clares continue the great work of our foundress, St. Clare. Every day of our lives we gather into our hearts the needs and hurts of the world. May her powerful intercession obtain for those who suffer the grace to recognize that their sufferings are united with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our model of love and source of peace.

We’re moving!

Our new home:

Monastery of St. Clare

590 Gay Street

Westwood, MA 02090

617-524-1760

617-524-7866

Email: poorclarenunsboston@gmail.com

Our New Home

WESTWOOD HO!

At Last! All negotiations are completed and we are on our way to our new home in Westwood.

The long, tedious, process of locating a building or property suitable for our needs started twenty years ago when we realized we could no longer afford to make the repairs needed in our beautiful, but aging, building. As it continued to deteriorate its value also decreased, so that building a new monastery was no longer an option for us. Existing properties we looked at were either too big or too luxurious for a monastery. Just when all possibilities seemed to have been exhausted the Lord showed us the perfect place: a former house of prayer nestled in a quiet wooded setting in Westwood that we would be able to purchase through the sale of this property. Most wonderful of all, it was not far from all our friends in Jamaica Plain.

It will take about two months to gradually move into our new home at 590 Gay Street. One day we went up with Fr. James Koury who blessed the grounds and every room in each house. The property includes a house for guests separate from our enclosure where we look forward to welcoming you once we are settled there.

“Lord, protect our city”…our country, our world.

For eight centuries, Poor Clare nuns have been living out a solemn mandate given to them by Saint Clare of Assisi. It began in the year 1212 when a ravaging horde of despots was in the act of breaching the walls of the little monastery of San Damiano. A prayerful plea from Clare and her sisters witnessed the attackers swift retreat. Shortly after, when their hometown was under siege, Clare led her sisters in prayer: “Lord, protect this city which nourishes us for love of you.” The invading army quickly dispersed, and Saint Clare was credited with saving Assisi. To this day, the daughters of that courageous woman remain committed to prayer for the protection of the cities that have welcomed them, for their countries, and for their world.

Poor Clares are contemplative nuns whose lives are centered in the praise of God with the apostolate of prayerful intercession for God’s people. Since we need not go anywhere to do our life’s work, we remain in our monasteries in fidelity to our trust. In today’s circumstances, our enclosed form of life gives us a particular relationship with all who are presently cooped up by urgent “stay home” warnings, and social distancing guidelines in light of the Covid 19 virus. We are no stranger to confinement since we make a vow to remain in our monasteries for our entire lives. A quiet place apart, like this, offers the space one needs to grow spiritually free enough to enter more deeply into God’s silence where humanity becomes whole.

The very difficult situations imposed by this Pandemic can provide just such an opportunity for people to experience this sacred silence. Deprived of the usual diversions that ordinarily hold people centered in their ego selves could give them the chance to explore their silent inner space where God lives. It would be a discovery well worth the effort it takes, because as we come to know God’s Presence within, we experience a hidden dimension of ourselves we may not have known before. Our spirit selves grow stronger, so that the Spirit of God becomes the new source of our choices and we become able see as God sees, as things really are. The more we do this, the more the ego that once ruled us has to take a back seat, while the Spirit of God becomes our heart. The Spirit of love teaches us how to better serve the world we love. All humanity has been called to this mystical dimension of life: to be God incarnate on this earth.

As this painful time of an unremitting virus continues to shape our days, and cause so much suffering, loss of jobs, and despair, consider the possibility of portioning out some time each day to taste your oun personal silence. Websites have great ideas to pass the time indoors: games, hobbies, and activities, and these offer good release from boredom. But instead of drowning out the “still, small voice” of God, why not let it breathe new life? Our present catastrophe could turn into a graced opportunity. All it takes to open up to the peace of the Presence of God within you, and around you is to clear away the clutter and take time to just BE. The blessings of healing and peace that are always within us waiting to be discovered, might be just what is needed to bring you through these devastating times with new strength, new faith, and the will to rebuild our world.

Poor Clares have faith in the unlimited capacity of prayer to make things happen. That’s why we love what we do, and have vowed to dedicate our entire lives to sending God’s love to the ends of the earth, as Robert Lax, a confidant of Thomas Merton wrote: “Prayer is a way of doing spontaneous good for all things and in all places. It’s a way of sending out love everywhere at once.” With our Mother Saint Clare we pray: “Lord, protect our city”…our country, and our world.

Diamond Jubilee Celebration

Forty days after Christmas, on February 2nd, 1955, Julie Fitz-Gerald was welcomed into our community as a new candidate, just like Peggy was today.  Sixty-five years later, on this Epiphany of Christ’s entering the Temple as Light of the World, Julie has become Sister Mary Magdalen of the Sacred Heart, and we join her as she celebrates her Diamond Jubilee.  Franciscans believe that anything worth celebrating is worth celebrating well, so we take three days to thank and praise God for sister’s fidelity as a Poor Clare all these years.M Magdalen & F Kalcher

Fr. Gregory Kalscheur, S.J. celebrated the Eucharist and happily joined us for a photo session afterward.  Sister Mary Magdalen stands on his left, with Sister Clare Frances, our Abbess, on her left, and our Vicaress, Sister Mary Veronica, at his right.