Born in Assisi, Italy in 1194, Clare was a child of nobility and privilege, devoted to prayer from her earliest years. On the night of Palm Sunday, March 20, 1212, she left the wealth and privilege of her family to follow a life of profound faith, unwavering courage and enduring compassion, all in the service of others.

Saint Clare formed her own community of sisters, the first community of the Order of Poor Ladies, better known as the Poor Clares. Depending solely on alms and with complete faith in God providing for them, to this day, the Poor Clares are a visible and dramatic witness to their faith. She also served as an influential spiritual advisor to Saint Francis, popes and other church leaders. She has been recognized as one of
300 Women Who Changed the World by Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Find out more about how the name SSM St. Clare Health Center appropriately represents SSM Health Care's vision to fundamentally reinvent the health care experience from the ground up.