Interview with Sister Chiara Carla, a Poor Clare

Let me introduce myself: I am Sister Chiara Carla, 62 years old, originally from Cagliari, and a Poor Clare nun for thirty years at the Monastery of Saint Clare in Urbino. I have been given the opportunity, which I gladly accept, to help create this interview with a fraternal tone... I am delighted! But now, let us get to the point, hoping to meet the expectations of our readers.

Define yourself using three adjectives

Not an easy question; it is easier for someone looking at you from the outside, someone who knows you! In any case, looking at myself as objectively as possible, I would define myself as a passionate, curious, and enthusiastic woman.

What was your childhood dream?

As a child, my dream was connected with two aspects: the first professional, and the second personal and family-related. As for work, I very much wanted to become either a teacher or a hairdresser. A teacher, because I had an exceptionally good elementary-school teacher: she was my role model! I also liked children, then as now. This dream later became a reality in the form of teaching Latin and Greek at a classical high school, which was my profession until the day I entered the monastery. A hairdresser, instead, because I loved combing dolls' hair and inventing ever-new hairstyles: my secret dream was to move from styling dolls' hair to styling the hair of beautiful, elegant ladies! In terms of my personal status, I imagined myself married with lots of children, and I had already identified my future husband: a certain, and indeed famous, Mr Ferrero from Piedmont, magnate of the equally famous Nutella! The reason is easy to imagine and needs no explanation: “If I marry him, I'll have her”!

How did you come to embrace the vocation to contemplative life?
The vocation to the contemplative life matured in me slowly, little by little. During my young adult years, I was fascinated by giving myself to others, especially to the poorest and those in need, and consequently I tried to devote the time I had free from studying, and later from work, to these brothers and sisters facing difficulties. My spiritual director advised me to add some periods of silent prayer to all the volunteer work I was doing, and I began to do so. The result of this choice to pray and not merely “do” things slowly led me to understand and appreciate the value of “being”… of “being” and of “being present”! Thus, gradually, the periods of prayer and silence, often spent before Jesus in the Eucharist, grew at the expense of my volunteer work. The more I remained silently before the Lord, the more I felt that my prayer, although poor and simple, was precious because I remembered before the Lord the many people who were in need. Over time, I also learned to pray for those whom I did not know personally and, finally, for the whole world. I felt and perceived that remaining intimately “with Jesus” was a powerful, strong, precious way of praying, one that meant more to me than anything else. Thus I devoted more time to prayer and realized that even the many beautiful things I experienced - studying, working, volunteering, friendships, falling in love, parties, and travel - were less precious to me in light of the fact that my small love, united with God's immense and infinite Love, could save the world and bring great good to everyone. So I began to seriously believe that, as Saint John of the Cross says, “one act of sincere love is worth more than all the actions in this world.” I felt that God was entrusting me with the task of praying for everyone, in love and in faith. Thus, little by little, at the age of 32, I entered the Monastery of the Poor Clares where I live today together with my thirteen sisters.

How did your family and friends react to your decision?

As for my friends and colleagues at school, there was a great deal of astonishment because they had always seen my enthusiasm, my joy in living, and my fairly dynamic life; nevertheless, they respected my very particular, very radical choice. As for my family, however, my parents and siblings were less surprised because they had realized that, although I did many good, beautiful, and interesting things, I had evidently discovered that there was “something more beautiful” that led me to have certain spiritual experiences of retreat and prayer. My mother, my sister, and one of my dearest friends accompanied me to the monastery on the day I entered enclosure; my father and my brother, on the other hand, needed more time to process the separation, which seemed too hard for them. They came to visit me after a few months! My family, however, always left me free, showing great respect for my love and my personal choice.  

 

How does your day of work and prayer unfold?

Our day, like every monastic life, has two pillars: prayer and work: it is the famous “ora et labora” of the great Saint Benedict, which also imbues monastic life with other spiritual traditions, including mine, which is Franciscan-Clarian. My day as a Poor Clare nun begins with waking up a little before 6:00; at 6:00 sharp, we begin choir with the liturgical prayer of the Office of Readings, followed by personal meditation. Then come Lauds, characterized by the praise of God as the sun rises, followed by Holy Mass and Terce. Then breakfast and work, which includes various tasks: cooking, tidying the refectory, caring for and looking after sick or very elderly sisters, the porter's lodge, the sacristy, the linen room, the laundry, and the garden… every gesture, every task must become prayer, and prayer is our work! At the end of the work period, around noon, we celebrate Sext and then have lunch; after washing the dishes and tidying the kitchen, there is the so-called “time of silence,” to be devoted to rest or, if a sister needs to continue working, she may certainly do so while maintaining silence. At 15:30, we pray None, followed, depending on our commitments, by work, study, singing practice, or lessons, either in person or online, or perhaps “family meetings.” At 18:00, we celebrate Vespers, the most solemn liturgical hour of the day, marked by thanksgiving to the Lord as the sun sets. This is followed by an hour of personal meditation, dinner, and “recreation,” a time for leisure and sharing among the sisters, who tell one another about their day: a time for fraternal conversation that brings relief after a day we seek to live in loving silence united with God. A Poor Clare's day concludes with the prayer of Compline, followed by the “great silence,” which is observed until Terce the following day. Our day, as you can see, is simple, woven from an everyday routine that, if we like, is repetitive, but in a sense always new because we ourselves are new each day: small things, the usual things of every day, made great by love and prayer.