Poor Clares

The Poor Clares, officially known as the Order of Saint Clare, form the Second Franciscan Order. Their origins date back to 28 March 1211, when Saint Clare of Assisi, inspired by the preaching and example of Saint Francis, left behind a life of comfort and privilege to dedicate herself completely to Jesus Christ.

Together with the women who joined her, Clare established a community at San Damiano, near Assisi, embracing a life centred on prayer, evangelical poverty, humility and sisterly love. Her way of life became an important expression of the Franciscan movement, complementing the active apostolic mission of the Friars Minor through a vocation dedicated primarily to contemplation.

Today, the Poor Clares continue to live according to the Rule of Saint Clare, bearing witness to the Gospel through their hidden but deeply meaningful life of prayer and fraternity.

The history of the Poor Clares in Malta began during the First World War. In December 1914, four French Poor Clare sisters arrived on the island after being forced to leave their monastery in Nazareth, in the Holy Land, because of the conflict.

Upon their arrival, they found temporary refuge with the Missionary Sisters of Egypt in Żabbar. The Maltese people welcomed the sisters with generosity, providing them with the necessities of daily life and helping them establish themselves in their new surroundings.

Following the war, the sisters decided to remain in Malta and establish a permanent contemplative community. In 1920, they moved to Saint Julian's, where they initially lived in a modest house while awaiting the construction of a monastery.

Through the generosity of benefactors, particularly Alfons Maria Galea, the sisters were eventually able to acquire land and establish a monastery with an adjoining chapel. In March 1935, they moved into their new home, whose chapel was dedicated to the Holy Infant of Prague.

What began as the unexpected arrival of four displaced religious sisters gradually developed into an enduring presence of Franciscan contemplative life within the Church in Malta.

At the heart of the Poor Clares' vocation is an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Their daily life is centred on the celebration of the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours, personal prayer, meditation on Sacred Scripture and periods of silence.

Living within the enclosure of the monastery, the sisters embrace a form of consecrated life that allows them to dedicate themselves more fully to God. Their separation from the ordinary activities of society does not mean separation from the needs of the world. Rather, through their constant prayer, they remain spiritually united with the Church and with all those experiencing suffering, difficulties or uncertainty.

Alongside prayer, the sisters undertake ordinary responsibilities such as cooking, gardening, cleaning and maintaining the monastery. These simple daily activities become expressions of love, service and fraternity, reflecting Saint Clare's vision of a community where each sister contributes according to her gifts and abilities.

Their life is a reminder that prayer, silence and contemplation remain essential within the mission of the Church, even in a world increasingly characterised by activity and constant communication.

The Poor Clares share a close spiritual bond with the Friars Minor, rooted in the friendship and common evangelical vision of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi.

Although their forms of religious life are different, both are united by the desire to follow Christ in poverty, humility, simplicity and fraternity. While the friars are often engaged in preaching, pastoral ministry and direct service to society, the Poor Clares sustain the life and mission of the Church through contemplation and intercessory prayer.

In Malta, this spiritual relationship has also found expression through collaboration between the Poor Clares and the Franciscan Friars Minor, including the publication and translation of Franciscan writings and historical sources related to Saint Clare. Such initiatives have helped make the spiritual heritage of the Second Franciscan Order more accessible to Maltese readers.

Together, the friars and sisters continue to reflect the richness of the Franciscan charism, demonstrating that both active service and contemplative prayer are essential expressions of the Gospel.

An important chapter in the history of the Poor Clares in the Maltese Islands began on 25 August 2011, when a new community was established in Gozo following an invitation by the then Bishop of Gozo, Mario Grech.

The monastery, situated near Manresa House in Victoria, became a place of prayer, silence and spiritual comfort for many Gozitans. Through their contemplative presence, the sisters offered a powerful witness to the importance of prayer and a life centred on God.

In January 2021, the community announced that it could no longer maintain its physical presence in Gozo. The sisters returned to their mother monastery in Saint Julian's, where they continued their contemplative vocation.

Their departure was marked by a Mass of thanksgiving at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Ta' Pinu on 24 January 2021, followed by a final Mass at their monastery on 28 January, celebrated by Fr Marcello Ghirlando OFM.

Although their presence in Gozo came to an end, the years spent on the island remain an important part of their history and their spiritual contribution to the local Church.

Today, the Monastery of Saint Clare in Saint Julian's continues to represent a precious part of the Franciscan presence in Malta. The sisters' vocation reminds us that the mission of the Church is sustained not only through visible works of charity and evangelisation, but also through the often unseen dedication of those who devote their lives entirely to prayer.

Following the example of Saint Clare, the Poor Clares offer a witness to the beauty of simplicity, the joy of fraternity and the importance of placing Christ at the centre of every aspect of life.

Through their prayers, their fidelity to the Gospel and their commitment to the Franciscan way of life, they remain a source of spiritual encouragement to the Franciscan Family and to the wider Church in Malta.