May our words be as St. Catherine's were!

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today is the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, a wonderful example for all the Faithful to pray for the Pope and for all God’s Holy Church to shine with Christ’s Light before the world. Do we “burn with the Fire of God’s Love within” or do we even pray for the Fire of His Love?This quote from Pope Paul VI’s General Audience speaking of St. Catherine is inspiring:

…The last mystical episode of her life is worth remembering. Weak, exhausted by fasting and illness, she came every day to St. Peter’s, the former basilica. In the porch there was a garden, on the facade a famous mosaic, painted by Giotto for the 1300 jubilee, and called the barque (now it appears inside the porch of the new basilica). It reproduced the scene of Peter’s boat, tossed by the night storm, and it represented the apostle daring to move towards Christ who has appeared walking on the waves; a symbol of life that is always in danger and always miraculously saved by the divine mysterious Master. One day, it was 29th January 1380, about Vesper time, Sexagesima Sunday, and it was Catherine’s last visit to St. Peter’s; it seemed to Catherine, caught up in ecstasy, that Jesus stepped out of the mosaic and came up to her, placing the barque on her weak shoulders; the heavy, storm-tossed barque of the Church; and Catherine, collapsing under the weight, fell to the ground unconscious. Historically, Catherine’s sacrifice seemed to fail. But who can say that burning love of hers disappeared in vain if myriads of virgin souls and hosts of priestly spirits and of faithful and industrious laymen, made it their own; and it still blazes in Catherine’s words: “Sweet Jesus, darling Jesus”?

And may that fire be ours, too, may it give us the strength to repeat Catherine’s words and gift. “I have given my life for Holy Church” (Raimondo da Capua, Vita, III, 4). With Our Apostolic Blessing.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your Faithful. Kindle in us the Fire of Your Love.
Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
St. Catherine of Siena, pray for us.

 

[marlap2]

Saint Catherine, raise your voice in prayer for us!
… that like you we seek truth in Your Word
… that like you we are not afraid to proclaim truth
… that like you we persevere in prayer and penance
… that like you we fear the devil, but Love God More.

 

[Dorothy]

We have wonderful Third Order Dominicans in the area I live in. A great example of the Order of Preachers!

 

[MariaChristi]

Saint Catherine, raise your voice in prayer for us!
… that like you we seek truth in Your Word
… that like you we are not afraid to proclaim truth
… that like you we persevere in prayer and penance
… that like you we fear the devil, but Love God More.

Dear marlap,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, we need the prayers of all our brother and sister Saints, and St. Catherine is such a good model for today! The Church needs saints in every age and this is our time. No one can be the saints you and I, (and all) are called to be.

God created each one unique and unrepeatable, so while we ask that we be “like” St. Catherine of Siena, we know we cannot “be” her because our lives must speak the Truth in the present darkness of our own culture. God has created us to be the saints for today!

Come Holy Spirit and enlighten our minds, strengthen our wills to do what God calls each of us to do. Fill us with Your Love that Christ’s light may shine through us.

Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede for us.
St. Catherine and all our brother and sister Saints, especially St. Catherine, on this, her Feast-day, pray for us.

 

[MariaChristi]

We have wonderful Third Order Dominicans in the area I live in. A great example of the Order of Preachers!

Dear Dorothy,

I’ve had some wonderful Dominican teachers and count one particular Dominican Nun as a very special blessing. Sister Therese Catherine, OP was the Spiritual Directress for our High School Junior Legion of Mary, and she made both Mary and Joseph “real” for me. Perhaps because Jesus had always been “real” to me in the Eucharist – the saints were more like persons I learned about but really didn’t know.

St. Catherine of Siena as a Third Order Dominican was not someone I knew until much later, among the many saints, presented to us in school and through the liturgical calendar. When I read the Dialogues of St. Catherine of Siena I began to appreciate how much love a lay woman could give to, and do for, the Church.

 

[Dorothy]

Dear Dorothy,

I’ve had some wonderful Dominican teachers and count one particular Dominican Nun as a very special blessing. Sister Therese Catherine, OP was the Spiritual Directress for our High School Junior Legion of Mary, and she made both Mary and Joseph “real” for me. Perhaps because Jesus had always been “real” to me in the Eucharist – the saints were more like persons I learned about but really didn’t know.

St. Catherine of Siena as a Third Order Dominican was not someone I knew until much later, among the many saints, presented to us in school and through the liturgical calendar. When I read the Dialogues of St. Catherine of Siena I began to appreciate how much love a lay woman could give to, and do for, the Church.

This is an excellent book written about the life of St. Catherine of Siena by Sigrid Undset, a Nobel prize-winning author. It is based on the biography of the saint by Blessed Raymond of Capua, her spiritual director.
amazon.com/Catherine-Siena-Sigrid-Undset/dp/1586174088/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430342004&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=st.+catharine+of+sienna+by+sigrid+undset

 

[MariaChristi]

This is an excellent book written about the life of St. Catherine of Siena by Sigrid Undset, a Nobel prize-winning author. It is based on the biography of the saint by Blessed Raymond of Capua, her spiritual director.
amazon.com/Catherine-Siena-Sigrid-Undset/dp/1586174088/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430342004&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=st.+catharine+of+sienna+by+sigrid+undset

Dear Dorothy,

Thanks for the link. I read about the book and it is probably, as you said, an excellent book.

However, I’m more inclined to read the words of saints themselves, rather than what others write about them. I’ve read The Dialogues of St. Catherine of Siena more than once, and each time I learn more. Same with St. Teresa of Avila’s works, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. John of the Cross, St. Louis De Montfort and so many others. What a treasure we have in the wisdom of the saints!