By Lauren Zazzara and
Kailyn Jennings
St. Bonaventure has multiple St. Francis statues, yet none of St. Clare, said Jean François Godet-Calogeras, professor of Franciscan studies.
He added there should be a statue of Clare on campus.
“The Franciscan movement would be incomplete without Clare,” he said. “Clare brought the women into the movement to make it universal. And today, since the university has both male and female students, it is essential that she becomes as visible as Francis.”
Guy Imhoff, the interim director of Clare College, agreed with Godet-Calogeras and said that Clare is an integral part of campus.
There is a set of required courses named after her, and in these courses, students are supposed to learn more about the world around them and to think critically, said Imhoff, the interim director of Clare College.
John Apczynski, a retired theology professor, helped found Clare College.
“I saw manifested in the historical Clare ideals that I felt all students should have,” Apczynski said. “She pushed herself in the inspiration of Francis to become a leader of a good portion of the medieval church.”
He described how Clare taught that those in charge only get their power from those they rule, and that the important people are the ordinary people from whom the power comes from.
Imhoff said Clare College was inspired by Clare’s character.
“It’s just the name given to our core curriculum in her honor because she was an intellectual woman. I know that she wrote, she taught, she was a leader, she was a thinker,” said Imhoff.
Godet-Calogeras said he even has taught a class dedicated to studying St. Clare last fall.
“It was a request from the students,” he said. “And not just ladies.”
He said he hopes other university officials will recognize the importance of St. Clare to campus history.
“I’m irritated when women are put in the second position or shadow,” he said. “We are bipolar–male and female in the image of God. Clare is just as important as Francis.”
zazzarlm13@bonaventure.edu
jenninkm13@bonaventure.edu
