Celebrating Sister Clare Renquin’s Journey
– M. Vicki –
If I had to characterize Sister Clare,
it would be to say that she was a woman possessed of a great sense of faith and a great sense of humor. She was born in Valley Falls, RI in 1927 and lived just a few blocks from the, then, monastery of Trappist monks of Our Lady of the Valley in Pawtucket, RI, now moved to Spencer. Her vocation to the Cistercian life was nourished by the Sunday Vespers she used to attend there when she was 20. When she heard of the arrival of Irish sisters from Glencairn at Wrentham, MA she applied to enter there and was received in 1950 as a lay sister. She was among the first to enter Wrentham. Clare worked in the barn milking cows and mucking out stalls with other sisters. This was a supreme test of her vocation. She detested working with cows!! She used to tell us that when she died, if she saw a cow, she KNEW she didn’t make it to heaven! She also served as cook, worked in making vestments and … being the portress, a job that stayed with her for the remainder of her monastic life.
In 1972 she arrived in Sonoita, AZ as one of six foundresses of Santa Rita Abbey. To use her own words, “In 1972 I came to AZ. It was love at first sight. I worked as bookkeeper, sub-prioress and making stained glass novelties. Later I learned iconography and weaving and … the ever-present job of portress.”
Clare had a profound love of God the Father and a deep faith. She never doubted her Cistercian vocation, even through the inevitable trials that come to every life lived with faith and depth. Her faith didn’t cancel the fact that she could be a little volcano on occasion. In fact, with a twinkle in her eyes, she called herself a recovering volcano. God worked with her to become, in her later years, a woman who would call herself “… a little tabernacle. I bring Jesus to the people here just by being here.” I was told by a nurse who cared for her: “When I grow up, I want to be like Clare.” The volcano had been transformed into gratitude and patience. And a spacious meadow of peace.
On Christmas Eve, Clare contracted bronchitis. Her 98 year old body could no longer fight off encroaching illnesses and on January 1, she went peacefully into the arms of God the Father. Clare promised us that when she died, she wasn’t going anywhere. She would be here at the abbey. I believe that! She will be where her heart is: with God, with us and all who love her and whom she loved. Clare, pray for us.
