This prayer asks for the intercession of Saint Clare of Assisi, the 13th-century foundress of the Poor Clares. It seeks her help in imitating her virtues of poverty, humility, and purity of heart. By asking to follow in her "footprints," the faithful pray for guidance on their own pilgrimage toward Christ.
This is a modern devotional prayer of unknown authorship, inspired by the life of Saint Clare of Assisi (1194-1253). As a follower of Saint Francis, she founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a contemplative order dedicated to radical poverty and prayer. The prayer's language, focusing on "footprints" and being "pilgrims," reflects the Franciscan spirituality that shaped her life. The Church encourages such prayers, affirming the "intercession of the saints" as a way to seek help in following Christ (CCC 956).
This prayer is a petition for the grace to imitate Saint Clare's core virtues. By asking to be "poor in spirit" and "pure of heart," the faithful echo the Beatitudes taught by Christ (Matthew 5:3, 8). The prayer's focus on being "pilgrims here below" reinforces the theological concept of earthly life as a journey toward our heavenly home. It is a request not just for Clare's help, but for a heart transformed to be more like hers, and therefore more like Christ's.
The Prayer to St. Clare is especially fitting to pray on her feast day, August 11. It is also powerful when prayed as part of a novena leading up to her feast. Individuals might turn to this prayer when seeking to grow in humility, detach from material possessions, or discern a vocation. As the patron saint of television and communications, her intercession can be sought for clarity and truth in media.
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