Birthplace: Siena Italy
Date of Birth and Death: 1347 - 1380
Feast Day: April 29th

Notable: Patroness of Italy and Women Involved in Catholic Action

Life:
Catherine was born in the mid-14th century into a large wealthy family in Siena Italy. From an early age, she chose to devote herself to Christ rather than marry an seek material comforts despite her parents’ strong objections. Once she devoted herself to this path in her life, she experienced numerous divine visions. In one extraordinary experience, she felt she had actually exchanged her heart for Christ’s. In another, she believed that she had received the stigmata, even though she prayed for the marks to remain invisible.

As a sign of her spiritual devotion, St. Catherine ate barely enough to sustain her but it never stopped her in her drive to reach out to everyone. Through dictated letters offering spiritual advice to rich and poor alike. This lead her to become known for her spiritual conviction and wisdom. During the time of the Great Schism, Pope Gregory XI chose Catherine as an ambassador to mediate between Florence and the Papacy and able to convince the Pope to return to Rome.

She continually strived to lead the Church in reforms and to communicate her deepest spiritual thoughts and feelings, dictating prayers and mediations that have become classics of Italian religious literature.

No doubted St. Catherine’s love for God and because of her total committment to the Church, she accepted her positions of ambassador and brought people together to discuss their concerns.

Prayer:

Eternal goodness, you want me to gaze into you and see that you love me,
to see that you me gratuitously, so that I may love everyone with the very same love.
You want me, then, to love and serve my neighbours gratuitously, by helping them spiritually and materially as much as I can, without any expectation of selfish profit or pleasure.
Nor do without any expectation of selfish profit or pleasure. Nor do you
want me to hold back because of their ingratitude or persecution, or for any
abuse I may suffer from them.