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Saint Catherine of Siena ...The choice of the crown of thorns...Saint Catherine of
Siena
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Catherine of James Benincasa occupies a substantial place in the history of Italian literature. THis humble woman of the people, an illetterate, left some 375 letters, penned by her disciples from dictation. In the last months that preceded her departure for Rome, where she would encounter death at the age of 33, she had composed her book: The Dialogue of Divine Providence, dictating it while in ectstasy. Always during the ecstasies were gathered, unknown to her, The Orations, that is, the prayers that she directed to Our Lord. They are her shortest compositions, but perhaps the most sublime for the greatness of their theological thoughts. The life of Catherine of Siena unfolds in two periods: the one of a life almost hidden, that goes from her bith to her twentieth year, a period, one might say, of preparation within domestic wails at first, and then in the society of the humble Sienese Tertiaries until the moment in which she feels called by God to the apostolic life. The other period, of only thirteen years, is a continual expansion of the spirit, being shaped by goodness in works of zeal and charity. The women remembered from history, there was no one resembled her. On the 4th October 1970, Pope Paul VI includes her in the list of the Doctors of the Church
Brief History of St. Catherine's life This Glory of the world and of Siena was born in 1347 and suffered much during her life, even because of her family. She already consecrated herself to God as a little girls and in 1363 she received the Dominican habit and became a member of the "Mantellate" or Third Order Dominicans who used to meet every day in our Basilica.
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In
1367 she experienced what Catholic writers call the mystical marriage and
shortly after began her mission to the world in the name of Christ, at the
same time gradually gathering many disciples about her who became her
"Family". The year 1370 was one of great ecstasies; the exchange of hearts
with Jesus, the mystical death and other marvelous gifts. During her stay
in Pisa she received the holy stigmata on 1 April 1375 and when she
returned to Siena she managed to convert a young man, Niccolò of Tuldo,
who had been condemned to death for rebellious words against the
government. In 1376 she travelled to Avignon in order to encourage the
Pope to return to Italy. Pope Gregory XI allowed himself to be convinced
by this great little lady and left Avignon on 13 September of the same
year. From 1377 until her death in 1380 she untiringly worked for the
peace and unity of the Church, sent letters to famous and powerful men and
women urging them to live holy lives and completed the dictation of her "Dialogue
of Divine Providence", a sort of spiritual testament. She died very young
on 29 April 1380 after having undergone unspeakable physical and moral
sufferings. In 1461 she was canonised by Pope Pius II, in 1939 Pope Pius
XII proclaimed her Patroness of Italy together with St. Francis of Assisi
and in 1970 Pope Paul VI declare her Doctor of the Church. Besides the "Dialogue"
St. Catherine left 374 letters, many prayers and she was also fortunate in
being the subject of two biographies written by two of her contemporaries.
Her friend and confessor, Blessed Raymond of Capua wrote "The Major Life"
and another Dominican, Thomas of Siena, wrote "The Minor Life". Both have
been translated into most lenguages and are available in our gift-shop.