Cultural Space of St. Clare of Assisi Church

1. Cultural Space of St. Clare of Assisi Church Joseph Rowel ENGLISH 115

2. Saint Clare • Saint Clare of Assisi, the patron Saint for Eye Diseases, Goldsmiths, Television and many more • Saint Clare is also honored in the Anglican and Lutheran Churches • Saint Clare is the “Cofoundress of the Order of Poor Ladies or Clares,” a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan Order • Saint Clare is also one of the first followers of Saint Francis • Major Shrine for Saint Clare is the Basilica of Saint Clare, Assisi in Italy

3. St. Clare of Assisi Church • St. Clare is a Roman Catholic denomination • Named after Saint Clare of Assisi • The St. Clare church was built in 1977 with Reverend Father Ed Renehan acting as the Pastor of the Church • The church was made a parish in 1978 with 1500 registered families • St. Clare is located on 19606 Calla Way, Canyon Country, California • Current Priests of St. Clare: • Reverend Father Olin Mayfield • Reverend Father Malcolm Ambrose

4. History of St. Clare of Assisi Church • 1700s • In 1769 the Portolá Expedition was traveling in the modern day Santa Clarita. With the expedition was Father Juan Crespi, they crossed a river “that flowed north,” Father Crespi named the “river Santa Clara in reverence to the August 11th feast day of St. Clare of Assisi.” • 1970s • A property located in a Canyon of Camp Plenty Road “was purchased for $35,000 dollars. In 1976, Cardinal Manning approved the name of the mission as St. Clare of Assisi.” • Construction began in 1976 and ended in July of that year. • In 1977, Father Renehan was appointed as the Pastor of the St. Clare of Assisi Church. • 1980s • In 1985, construction of classrooms for religious education began. • 1990s • During the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, “Santa Clarita felt the shock waves.” As a result of the earthquake, much of the church was damaged. However the church was eventually fully repaired and refurbished. • 2000s • In 2007, new classrooms, the library and the Renehan Hall were opened.

5. Reverend Monsignor Father Edmond Michael Renehan • Father Renehan is a native of Ireland • Father Renehan is considered the founding Pastor of the St. Clare of Assisi Church • Father Renehan was ordained in 1958 • In 1995, “he was honored as a "Prelate" of His Holiness with the title Reverend Monsignor.” • Father Renehan entered the Kingdom of God on May 27th 2012 after a brave fight against cancer.

6. Reverend Father Malcolm Ambrose • Father Ambrose is a native of Burma • Father Ambrose was ordained as a Priest in 1972 • Father Ambrose is “a member of the religious order Salesians of St. Don Bosco.” • Father Ambrose was privileged enough to be “concelebrating Mass with Pope John Paul II and 14 other priests at the Pope's private Sistine Chapel, after which the priests were all greeted and blessed by His Holiness. ”

7. Reverend Father Olin Mayfield • Father Mayfield is a native of Santa Clarita • Father Mayfield attended USC and has B.A. in Literature • Father Mayfield was ordained in 1996. • Father Mayfield served as a Chaplin with the U.S. Navy on the USS Wasp and as well as a Chaplin to 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines of the United States Marine Corps

8. Disciplines of St. Clare • Since St. Clare is a Catholic denomination, the church and its followers follow disciplines that the Universal Catholic Church have established. • For example one of the disciplines that Catholics follow is confession, in which all Catholics go to a private room with a Priest and confess their sins. • After a person confesses their sins, the priest absolves the confessor and tells them to say “Hail Mary” or “Our Father” prayers as penance. • The confessional rooms at St. Clare are somewhat large. • The confessor has the option to confess his sins behind a barrier, covering his face or to confess his sins face to face with the priest

9. Architecture of St. Clare • Saint Clare is designed and build accordingly to most Catholic and Western Christian churches. • One of the differences between the St. Clare of Assisi Roman Catholic church and the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox church is the different styles of architecture. • The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox church is designed according to Eastern architecture with a large dome over the church and a cross on top of it to signify that it is a Christian denomination. • The St. Clare Roman Catholic Church is however designed according to Western architecture and does not a dome over the church, however, the church does have a cross onto of it, to signify that this is a Christian denomination.

10. The St. Clare Church

11. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

12. St. Clare’s influence on the Community • St. Clare has a major influence on the Catholic community in Santa Clarita, with several St. Clare Parish groups such as: • Boy Scouts • Club Scouts • Knights of Columbus • Library • Scripture Study

13. St. Clare’s Famous Fish Fry • One of St. Clare’s most famous community-oriented events is the annual Fish Fry during Lent. • The Fish Fry event brings together large amounts of parishioners together to eat a meal without meat on a Friday during Lent.

14. Works Cited • Ji Sun & Allen Stetson. St. Clare of Assisi Parish. St. Clare Church, Web. 29 Oct. 2013 • “In Memory f Msgr. Edmond Michael Renehan”. Dignity Memorial. SCI Management, L.P., n.d. 27. Oct. 2013