The Old Parsonage is now open and ready to welcome guests.
The Community of Saint Clare is a contemplative community of women within the Anglican Church.
Founded in 1950, our home is a large converted house in Freeland, an Oxfordshire village.
Our roots are found in the Franciscan family, and as well as being a part of the Anglican Society of Saint Francis, there are close (though informal) ties with the Roman Catholic Poor Clare communities, both in Britain and further afield.
The Community tries to combine traditional Religious Life with a certain informality and simplicity of community living.
There is a daily Eucharist in the chapel, usually celebrated by a Franciscan Sister or Brother, and four Offices are said daily by the community at the following times:-
Morning Prayer 8.30am
Eucharist 9.30am
Midday Prayer 12:30pm
Evening Prayer 5:00pm
Night Prayer 8pm
The rest of each day is divided between personal prayer, work, meals and recreation.
St Mary’s Convent has a large garden in which the sisters grow fruit and vegetables both for the Community and its Guests.
The sisters work in a variety of ways to earn their living.
In addition to the Old Parsonage, there are:
- The Altar Bread Room, which supplies many churches with communion wafers;
- The Print Room where a variety of printing is done for outside customers, as well as Greetings Cards which are sold mainly by Mail Order.
- Also, the skills of individual sisters are used in such things as painting, writing, translating, and the making of various handcrafts.
There is a room at the Old Parsonage where Greetings Cards, Altar Breads, Paintings and other handmade items, as well as books can be purchased.
Community of St Clare, Freeland 