PRAYER SERVICE IN HONOR OF ST. CATHERINE OF 29 APRIL 2020

In this icon she is shown with a mighty ship on her shoulder, a symbol of how St. Peter’s ministry had been changed by the medieval papacy. As she carries that ship, so did her prayers carry the hierarchy of her me. She is a patron for all those who feel crushed by religious instuons, as well as a great teacher for those drawn to a life of myscal prayer.

Dominican Terary, born at Siena, 25 March, 1347; died at Rome, 29 April, 1380. She was the youngest but one of a very large family. Her father, Giacomo di Benincasa, was a dyer; her mother, Lapa, the daughter of a local poet. They belonged to the lower middle-class facon of tradesmen and pey notaries, known as "the Party of the Twelve", which between one revoluon and another ruled the of Siena from 1355 to 1368. From her earliest childhood Catherine began to see visions and to pracce extreme austeries. At the age of seven she consecrated her virginity to Christ; in her sixteenth year she took the habit of the Dominican Teraries, and renewed the life of the anchorites of the desert in a lile room in her father's house. Aer three years of celesal visitaons and familiar conversaon with Christ, she underwent the myscal experience known as the "spiritual espousals", probably during the carnival of 1366. She now rejoined her family, began to tend the sick, especially those afflicted with the most repulsive diseases, to serve the poor, and to labor for the conversion of sinners. Though always suffering terrible physical pain, living for long intervals on praccally no food save the Blessed Sacrament, she was ever radiantly happy and full of praccal wisdom no less than the highest spiritual insight. All her contemporaries bear witness to her extraordinary personal charm, which prevailed over the connual persecuon to which she was subjected even by the friars of her own order and by her sisters in religion. She began to gather disciples round her, both men and women, who formed a wonderful spiritual fellowship, united to her by the bonds of myscal love. During the summer of 1370 she received a series of special manifestaons of Divine mysteries, which culminated in a prolonged trance, a kind of myscal death, in which she had a vision of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, and heard a Divine command to leave her cell and enter the public life of the world. She began to dispatch leers to men and women in every condion of life, entered into correspondence with the princes and of , was consulted by the papal legates about the affairs of the Church, and set herself to heal the wounds of her nave land by staying the fury of civil war and the ravages of facon. She implored the pope, Gregory XI, to leave Avignon, to reform the clergy and the administraon of the , and ardently threw herself into his design for a crusade, in the hopes of uning the powers of Christendom against the infidels, and restoring peace to Italy by delivering her from the wandering companies of mercenary soldiers. While at Pisa, on the fourth Sunday of Lent, 1375, she received the Sgmata, although, at her special prayer, the marks did not appear outwardly in her body while she lived. Mainly through the misgovernment of the papal officials, war broke out between Florence and the , and almost the whole of the Papal States rose in insurrecon. Catherine had already been sent on a mission from the pope to secure the neutrality of Pisa and Lucca. In June, 1376, she went to Avignon as ambassador of the Florennes, to make their peace; but, either through the bad faith of the republic or through a misunderstanding caused by the frequent changes in its government, she was unsuccessful. Nevertheless she made such a profound impression upon the mind of the pope, that, in spite of the opposion of the French king and almost the whole of the Sacred College, he returned to Rome (17 January, 1377). Catherine spent the greater part of 1377 in effecng a wonderful spiritual revival in the country districts subject to the Republic of Siena, and it was at this me that she miraculously learned to write, though she sll seems to have chiefly relied upon her secretaries for her correspondence. Early in 1378 she was sent by Pope Gregory to Florence, to make a fresh effort for peace. Unfortunately, through the facous conduct of her Florenne associates, she became involved in the internal polics of the city, and during a popular tumult (22 June) an aempt was made upon her life. She was bierly disappointed at her escape, declaring that her sins had deprived her of the red rose of martyrdom. Nevertheless, during the disastrous revoluon known as "the tumult of the Ciompi", she sll remained at Florence or in its territory unl, at the beginning of August, news reached the city that peace had been signed between the republic and the new pope. Catherine then instantly returned to Siena, where she passed a few months of comparave quiet, dictang her "Dialogue", the book of her meditaons and revelaons. In the meanwhile the Great Schism had broken out in the Church. From the outset Catherine enthusiascally adhered to the Roman claimant, Urban VI, who in November, 1378, summoned her to Rome. In the Eternal City she spent what remained of her life, working strenuously for the reformaon of the Church, serving the destute and afflicted, and dispatching eloquent leers in behalf of Urban to high and low in all direcons. Her strength was rapidly being consumed; she besought her Divine Bridegroom to let her bear the punishment for all the sins of the world, and to receive the sacrifice of her body for the unity and renovaon of the Church; at last it seemed to her that the Bark of Peter was laid upon her shoulders, and that it was crushing her to death with its weight. Aer a prolonged and mysterious agony of three months, endured by her with supreme exultaon and delight, from Sexagesima Sunday unl the Sunday before the Ascension, she died. Her last polical work, accomplished praccally from her death- bed, was the reconciliaon of Pope Urban VI with the (1380). Among Catherine's principal followers were Fra Raimondo delle Vigne, of Capua (d. 1399), her confessor and biographer, aerwards General of the Dominicans, and Stefano di Corrado Maconi (d. 1424), who had been one of her secretaries, and became Prior General of the Carthusians. Raimondo's book, the "Legend", was finished in 1395. A second life of her, the "Supplement", was wrien a few years later by another of her associates, Fra Tomaso Caffarini (d. 1434), who also composed the "Minor Legend", which was translated into Italian by Stefano Maconi. Between 1411 and 1413 the deposions of the surviving witnesses of her life and work were collected at Venice, to form the famous "Process". Catherine was canonized by Pius II in 1461. The emblems by which she is known in Chrisan art are the lily and book, the crown of thorns, or somemes a heart--referring to the legend of her having changed hearts with Christ. Her principal feast is on the 30th of April, but it is popularly celebrated in Siena on the Sunday following. The feast of her Espousals is kept on the Thursday of the carnival. The works of St. rank among the classics of the , wrien in the beauful Tuscan vernacular of the fourteenth century. Notwithstanding the existence of many excellent manuscripts, the printed edions present the text in a frequently mulated and most unsasfactory condion. Her wrings consist of the "Dialogue", or "Trease on Divine Providence"; a collecon of nearly four hundred leers; and a series of "Prayers". The "Dialogue" especially, which treats of the whole spiritual life of man in the form of a series of colloquies between the Eternal Father and the human soul (represented by Catherine herself), is the myscal counterpart in prose of Dante's "Divina Commedia". A smaller work in the dialogue form, the "Trease on Consummate Perfecon", is also ascribed to her, but is probably spurious. It is impossible in a few words to give an adequate concepon of the manifold character and contents of the "Leers", which are the most complete expression of Catherine's many-sided personality. While those addressed to popes and sovereigns, rulers of republics and leaders of armies, are documents of priceless value to students of history, many of those wrien to private cizens, men and women in the cloister or in the world, are as fresh and illuminang, as wise and praccal in their advice and guidance for the devout Catholic today as they were for those who sought her counsel while she lived. Others, again, lead the reader to myscal heights of contemplaon, a rarefied atmosphere of sancty in which only the few privileged spirits can hope to dwell. The key-note to Catherine's teaching is that man, whether in the cloister or in the world, must ever abide in the cell of self- knowledge, which is the stable in which the traveler through me to eternity must be born again.

Catherine, the youngest of twenty-five children, was born in Siena on March 25, 1347. During her youth she had to contend with great difficules on the part of her parents. They were planning marriage for their favorite daughter; but Catherine, who at the age of seven had already taken a vow of virginity, refused. To break her resistance, her beauful golden brown tresses were shorn to the very skin and she was forced to do the most menial tasks. Undone by her paence, mother and father finally relented and their child entered the Third Order of St. Dominic. Unbelievable were her austeries, her miracles, her ecstasies. The reputaon of her sancty soon spread abroad; thousands came to see her, to be converted by her. The priests associated with her, having received extraordinary facules of absoluon, were unable to accommodate the crowds of penitents. She was a helper and a consoler in every need. As me went on, her influence reached out to secular and ecclesiascal maers. She made peace between worldly princes. The heads of Church and State bowed to her words. She weaned Italy away from an an-pope, and made cardinals and princes promise allegiance to the righul ponff. She journeyed to Avignon and persuaded Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome. Even though she barely reached the age of thirty-three her accomplishments place her among the great women of the . The virgin Catherine was espoused to Christ by a precious nupal ring which, although visible only to her, always remained on her finger.

Patron: Against fire; bodily ills; Europe; fire prevenon; firefighters; illness; Italy; miscarriages; nurses; nursing services; people ridiculed for their piety; sexual temptaon; sick people; sickness; Siena, Italy; temptaons. Symbols: Cross; heart; lily; ring; sgmata. GATHERING HYMN: PLEASE SING VERSES 1-3

AS CLOSING HYMN: SING VERSES 5-6 VERSE 6: We give thanks for our sister Catherine, who has taught us to know your ways; we are proud to keep her name, O God, in mem'ry all our days. REFRAIN P. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Let us pray with St. Catherine C. O Holy Spirit, O eternal God, O Christ, O Love, come into my heart; By your power draw it to you, my God, and give me charity with fear. Protect me, O ineffable Love, from every evil thought; inflame me and permeate me with your exquisite love, So that every pain may become a ray of light! My Holy Creator [Father] and my sweet Love [Lord], help me now in all of my ministries. Christ, Love, Amen! (Prayers 6)

Catherine’s Story “Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.” (Catherine of Siena)

St. Catherine of Siena is perhaps the most remarkable woman of the . She was born March 25, 1347 and lived unl age 33 on April 29, 1380. She cared for the sick, wrote leers to popes, and counseled kings, queens, and her own mother. Filled with joy, compassion, and charm, she aracted disciples who called her “Mama.” Catherine’s works are wrien in the beauful of her me and rank among the classics of the Italian language. Her wrings consist of The Dialogue, or Trease on Divine Providence; a collecon of nearly four hundred Leers; and a series of “Prayers.” Her words were also recorded in her biography, Life, by her friend and confessor Raymond of Capua. We use her words and works in this evening’s meditaons.

Catherine the Mysc “The human heart is always drawn by love.” (Catherine of Siena) From an early age, Catherine experienced visions, ecstasies, and spiritual struggles. She had various visions of Christ, and ulmately wrote The Dialogue, an imagined conversaon between God and herself. Its central message is the unifying power of love through the personal Christ who cares for all. Listen to Catherine “I have told you this, my dearest daughter, to let you know the perfecon of this unive state in which souls are carried off by the fire of my charity. In that charity they receive supernatural light and in that light they love me. Love follows upon understanding. The more they know, the more they love. The more they love, the more they know. Each nourishes the other. By this light, they reach that eternal vision of me in which they see and taste me in truth when soul is separated from body.” (Dialogue 85)

Response: Catherine of Siena, walk with us on our journey

Pray with Catherine In your nature, eternal Godhead, I shall come to know my nature. And what is my nature, boundless love? It is fire, because you are nothing but a fire of love. And you have given humankind a share in this nature, for by the fire of love you created us. And so with all other people and every created thing; you made them out of love. O ungrateful people! What nature has your God given you? God’s [His] very own nature! Are you not ashamed to cut yourself off from such a noble thing through the guilt of deadly sin? O eternal Trinity, my sweet love! You, light, give us light. You, wisdom, give us wisdom. You, supreme strength, strengthen us. Today, eternal God, let our cloud be dissipated so that we may perfectly know and follow your Truth in truth, with a free and simple heart. God, come to our assistance! Amen. (Prayers 12)

Reflect Silently How are we called to be myscs today?

MEDITATION Hymn: “Ubi Caritas - VERSE 1 ONLY (Lan refrain, English verse)

(MUSIC IS PRINTED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE)

Catherine the Prophet “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” (Catherine of Siena) Catherine was a public voice in polical and ecclesiascal affairs of her me. She advised Pope Urban VI on the reunificaon of the Church during the Great Schism, when two popes claimed legimacy. She encouraged Pope Gregory XI to return the papacy to Rome in 1377 aer 70 years in Avignon, . And he did. Thought she had public relaonships with popes and other naonal leaders, like other women of the 14th century, Catherine experienced sexism. As We will see later, Catherine was vocal about her belief in the unifying power of the Eucharist for all those who crave it. Listen to Catherine “My very sex, as I need not tell you, puts many obstacles in the way.” (Life) Response Catherine of Siena, walk with us on our journey. “Does it not depend on My own will where I shall pour out my grace? With Me there is no longer male and female, nor lower and upper class. All stand equal in my sight.” (Life) Response: Catherine of Siena, walk with us on our journey.

“Love transforms one into what one loves.” (Dialogue 60) Response: Catherine of Siena, walk with us on our journey.

“Preach the truth as if you had a million voices. It is silence that kills the world.” Response: Catherine of Siena, walk with us on our journey. Pray with Catherine Eternal goodness, you want me to gaze into you and see that you love me, to see that you love me gratuitously so that I may love everyone with the very same love. You want me, then, to love and serve my neighbors gratuitously, by helping them spiritually and materially as much as I can… God, come to our assistance! (Dialogue 78)

Reflect Silently How are we called to be prophets today?

Hymn: “Ubi Caritas” - VERSE 2 ONLY (use music printed earlier in the program) Lan Refrain, English Verse 2 Catherine the Acvist “All the way to heaven is heaven.” (Catherine of Siena) Catherine was bold and fearless. Aer her early visions, she le her solitary life to minister and comfort those with disease, dying, and in prison. As Bridget Mary Meehan says: “Catherine of Siena reminds us that our mission [today] is not only to comfort the afflicted, but to afflict the comfortable for jusce, human rights, peace and equality in our church and world today.” Listen to Catherine “I pray you then, you and me and every other servant of God, that we devote ourselves to understanding ourselves perfectly, in order that we may more perfectly recognize the goodwill of God, so that enlightened, we may abandon judging our neighbor, and acquire true compassion.” (Leers 66) Response: Catherine of Siena, walk with us on our journey.

“Paence is a queen who stands guard upon the rock of courage. She is an invincible victor. She does not stand alone, but with perseverance as her companion.” (Dialogue 95) Response: Catherine of Siena, walk with us on our journey.

Reflect Silently How are we called to be acvists today:

Hymn: “Ubi Caritas” - VERSE 3 ONLY (use music printed earlier in the program) Lan Refrain, English Verse 3

Litany of St. Catherine Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us. Holy Mary, Pray for us. (repeat aer each line) St. Dominic, glorious Patriarch, St. Catherine of Siena, Benevolent mother of the poor, Merciful mother of the sick, Refuge of the sorrowful, Intercessor for sinners, Rose of paence, Model of humility, Lily of chasty, Vessel of graces, Zealous promoter of the honor of God, Luster of holiness, Example of mildness, Glory of the Order of Preachers, Fruiul mother of spiritual children, Promoter of peace, Terror of the evil spirits, Follower of Jesus, St. Catherine, who did give the blossoms of your innocent youth to the service of your Heavenly Spouse, St. Catherine, whom Jesus Himself did feed with His Body and Blood, St. Catherine, who exchanged her heart with the Heart of Jesus, St. Catherine, who was blest with His Holy Wounds, St. Catherine, who was taken to Heaven to the celesal nupals, St. Catherine, who did receive a hundredfold, reward for all her labors and merits, Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O glorious Virgin, St. Catherine That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray, O God, who gave St. Catherine, graced with the special privilege of virginity, paence to overcome the assault of evil spirits and to stand unshaken in the love of your Name. Grant we beseech you, that aer her example treading under foot the wickedness of the world and overcoming the wiles of all enemies, we may safely pass onward to your glory. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. St. Catherine’s Prayer to the Precious Blood Precious Blood, Ocean of Divine Mercy: Flow upon us! Precious Blood, Most pure Offering: Procure us every Grace! Precious Blood, Hope and Refuge of sinners: Atone for us! Precious Blood, Delight of holy souls: Draw us! Amen.

Heavenly Father, your glory is in your saints. We praise your glory in the life of the admirable St. Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church. Her whole life was a noble sacrifice inspired by an ardent love of Jesus, your unblemished Lamb. In troubled mes she strenuously upheld the rights of His beloved spouse, the Church. Father, honor her merits and hear her prayers for each of us, and for our whole parish family. Help us to pass unscathed through the corrupon of this world, and to remain unshakably faithful to the Church in word, deed, and example. Help us always to see in the Vicar of Christ an anchor in the storms of life, and a beacon of light to the harbor of your Love, in this dark night of your mes and men’s souls. Grant also to each of us our special peon . . . (State your own intenons) We ask this through Jesus, your Son, in the bond of the Holy Spirit. Amen. St. Catherine of Siena, Pray for us.

Reflecon Though she lived her life in a faith experience and spirituality far different from that of our own me, Catherine of Siena stands as a companion with us on the Chrisan journey in her undivided effort to invite the Lord to take flesh in her own life. Events which might make us wince or chuckle or even yawn fill her biographies: a myscal experience at six, childhood betrothal to Christ, stories of harsh ascecism, her frequent ecstac visions. Sll, Catherine lived in an age which did not know the rapid change of 21st- century mobile America. The value of her life for us today lies in her recognion of holiness as a goal to be sought over the course of a lifeme.

READING EPHESIANS 4:26-27 If you are angry, let it be without sin. The sun must not go down on your wrath; do not give the devil a chance to work on you.

RESPONSORY P. Into Your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. C. Into Your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. P. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth, C. Alleluia, alleluia

P. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: C. Into Your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia

ANTIPHON P. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in His peace. Alleluia

Gospel Cancle Luke 2:19-32 Lord, now You let Your servant go in peace; Your word has been fulfilled: my own eyes have seen the salvaon which You have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal You to the naons and the glory of Your people Israel.

P. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: C. as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen C. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake, watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in His peace. Alleluia

CLOSING PRAYER AND SENDING FORTH Like Catherine, we are called to be myscs, prophets and acvists who love and serve our neighbors, advocate for jusce, challenge abuse of power by church authories, and work for reform, reconciliaon and healing.

Let us pray Lord Jesus Christ, You have given Your followers and example of gentleness and humility, A task that is easy, a burden that is light. Accept the prayers and work of this day, and give us the rest that will strengthen us To render more faithful service to You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen

CLOSING HYMN: SAINTS AND BELOVED OF GOD - See GATHERING music printed earlier in the program on PAGE 5