Feast of St. Clare: Seeking Our Desert

August 11, the Feast of St. Clare, marks four years since I first found the Monasterio de Sta. Clara in Catalunan Grande. I still remember searching on Google for a place where I could present myself as an aspirant for a contemplative community. The monastery was everything I thought I needed—solemn, quiet, rich in prayer and activity, leaving no space for idle thoughts or wrongdoing.

But I was sent home. My lupus was the reason, yes, but looking back, I believe the deeper truth was this: I didn’t come to serve God—I came to escape the world. I wanted refuge from a harsh reality where people rise by hurting others, and where those already at their lowest are still pushed down further.

This year, I was blessed to be among those invited to celebrate with the Capuchinas. In his homily, Rev. Msgr. Paul Cuison shared a truth that pierced my heart: “St. Clare did not leave the world because she despised it—she left it so she could listen more closely to the voice of God.”

How often do we go to God only as a last resort, when life has fallen apart? He is not just the one who catches us when we are broken—He should be our first refuge, our first joy, our constant companion. We come to Him not just because we are tired, but because we are grateful—grateful for His love, for the life He has entrusted to us.

Even in a world filled with injustice, hurt, and pain, beauty still exists. Kindness still breathes. Gentle acts still ripple. And if we cannot find them, perhaps we are called to create them—to be the beginning of that gentle, beautiful world.

Msgr. Paul reminded us that, like St. Clare, we are invited to:

1. Seek our desert — find a place or moment where God can speak to our hearts.
2. Embrace holy poverty — live simply and trust God completely.
3. Remain in Christ — stay connected to Him through daily prayer and acts of love.

The Clarisas Capuchinas Sacramentarias continue to open their doors to young women—students, professionals, and seekers—who wish to find their desert, pray, and discover God’s love in the quiet peace of the monastery.

I still remember the first time I entered their gates. It felt like stepping into another world—one filled with reverence, joy, and an awe that words cannot capture.

If you are discerning your vocation, if you feel God’s call in your heart, perhaps today is the day to answer Him—just as St. Clare did centuries ago. Let her be your guide and intercessor.

For inquiries about a search-in experience at the monastery, you may reach them at 0917-824-1064.

“If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”