FREE THE LIFE OF ST. CATHERINE OF PDF

Blessed Raymond of Capua,George Lamb | 353 pages | 01 Jan 2009 | Tan Books | 9780895557612 | English | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States 8 Things to Know and Share About St. | National Catholic Register

The value Catherine makes central in her short life The Life of St. Catherine of Siena which sounds clearly and consistently through her experience is complete surrender to Christ. What is most impressive about her is that she learns to view her surrender to her Lord as a goal to be reached through time. She was the 23rd child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa and grew up as an intelligent, cheerful, and intensely religious person. Catherine disappointed her mother by cutting off her hair as a protest against being overly encouraged to improve her The Life of St. Catherine of Siena in order to attract a husband. Her father ordered her to be left in peace, and she was given a room of her own for prayer and meditation. She entered the Dominican Third Order at 18 and spent the next three years in seclusion, prayer, and austerity. Gradually, a group of followers gathered around her—men and women, priests and religious. An active public apostolate grew out of her contemplative life. Her letters, mostly for spiritual instruction and encouragement of her followers, began to take more and more note of public affairs. Opposition and The Life of St. Catherine of Siena resulted from her mixing fearlessly with the world and speaking with the candor and authority of one completely committed to Christ. She was cleared of all charges at the Dominican General Chapter The Life of St. Catherine of Siena Her public influence reached great heights because of her evident holiness, her membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep impression she made on the . She worked tirelessly for the crusade against the Turks and for peace between Florence and the pope. Inthe Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of Christendom between two, then three, and putting even saints on opposing sides. Catherine spent the last two years of her life in , in prayer and pleading on behalf of the cause of Pope Urban VI and the unity of the Church. She offered herself as a victim for the Church in its agony. Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of the Church. Though she lived her life in a faith experience and spirituality far different from that of our own time, Catherine of Siena stands as a companion with us on the Christian 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 mystical experience at six, childhood betrothal to Christ, stories of harsh asceticism, her frequent ecstatic visions. Still, 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 recognition of holiness as a goal to be sought over the course of a lifetime. Subscribe to Saint of the Day. Saint of the Day. Franciscan Media. St. Catherine of Siena | Biography & Patron Saint of | Britannica

Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. 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 faction of tradesmen and petty notariesknown as "the Party of the Twelve", which between one revolution and another ruled the of Siena from to From her earliest childhood Catherine began to see visions and to practise extreme austerities. At the age of seven she consecrated her virginity to Christ ; in her sixteenth year she took the habit of the Dominican Tertiariesand renewed the life of the anchorites of the desert in a little room in her father's house. After three years of celestial visitations and familiar conversation with Christshe underwent the mystical experience known as the "spiritual espousals"probably during the carnival of She now rejoined her familybegan to tend The Life of St. Catherine of Siena sick, especially those afflicted with the most The Life of St. Catherine of Siena diseases, to serve the poorand to labour for the conversion of sinners. Though always suffering terrible physical pain, living for long intervals on practically no food save the Blessed Sacramentshe was ever radiantly happy and full of practical wisdom no less than the highest spiritual insight. All her contemporaries bear witness to her extraordinary personal charm, which prevailed over the continual persecution 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 womenwho formed a wonderful spiritual fellowship, united to her by the bonds of mystical love. During the summer of she received a series of special manifestations of Divine mysterieswhich culminated in a prolonged trance, a kind of mystical death, in which she had a vision of HellPurgatoryand Heavenand heard a Divine command to leave The Life of St. Catherine of Siena cell and enter the public life of the world. She began to dispatch letters to men and women in every condition of life, entered into correspondence with the princes and of Italywas consulted by the papal legates about the affairs of the Churchand set herself to heal the wounds of her native The Life of St. Catherine of Siena by staying the fury of civil The Life of St. Catherine of Siena and the ravages of faction. She implored the popeGregory XIto leave Avignonto reform the clergy and the administration of the Papal Statesand ardently threw herself into his design for a crusadein the hopes of uniting the powers of Christendom against the infidelsand restoring peace to Italy by delivering her from the wandering companies of mercenary soldiers. While at Pisaon the fourth Sunday The Life of St. Catherine of Siena Lent, she received the Stigmataalthough, at her special prayerthe marks did not appear outwardly in her body while she lived. Mainly through the misgovernment of the papal officialswar broke out between Florence and the Holy Seeand almost the whole of the rose in insurrection. Catherine had already been sent on a mission from the pope to secure the neutrality of Pisa and Lucca. In June,she went to Avignon as ambassador of the Florentinesto 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 popethat, in spite of the opposition of the French king and almost the whole of the Sacred Collegehe returned to Rome 17 January, Catherine spent the greater part of in effecting a wonderful spiritual revival in the country districts subject to the Republic of Sienaand it was at this time that she miraculously learned to write, though she still seems to have chiefly relied upon her secretaries for her correspondence. Early in she was sent by Pope Gregory to Florenceto make a fresh effort for peace. Unfortunately, through the factious conduct of her Florentine associates, she became involved in the internal politics of the city, and during a popular tumult 22 June an attempt was made upon her life. She was bitterly disappointed at her escape, declaring that her sins had deprived her of the red rose of martyrdom. Nevertheless, during the disastrous revolution known as "the tumult of the Ciompi", she still remained at Florence or in its territory until, 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 Sienawhere she passed a few months of comparative quiet, dictating her "Dialogue", The Life of St. Catherine of Siena book of her meditations and revelations. In the meanwhile the Great Schism had broken out in the Church. In the The Life of St. Catherine of Siena City she spent what remained of her life, working strenuously for the reformation of the Churchserving the destitute and afflicted, and dispatching eloquent letters in behalf of Urban to high and low in all directions. 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 renovation 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. After a prolonged and mysterious agony of three months, endured by her with supreme exultation and delightfrom Sexagesima Sunday until the Sunday before the Ascensionshe died. Her last political work, accomplished practically from her death-bed, was the reconciliation of Pope Urban VI with the Raimondo's book, the "Legend", was finished in A second life of her, the "Supplement", was written a few years later by another of her associates, Fra Tomaso Caffarini d. Between and the depositions of the surviving witnesses of her life and work were collected at Veniceto form the famous "Process". Catherine was canonized by Pius II in The emblems by which she is known in Christian art are the lily and book, the crown of thornsor sometimes 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. Catherine of Siena rank among the classics of the Italian languageThe Life of St. Catherine of Siena in the beautiful Tuscan vernacular of the fourteenth century. Notwithstanding the existence of many excellent manuscriptsthe printed editions present the text in a frequently mutilated and most unsatisfactory condition. Her writings consist of the "Dialogue", or "Treatise on Divine Providence "; a collection of nearly four hundred letters; 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 herselfThe Life of St. Catherine of Siena the mystical counterpart in prose of Dante's "Divina Commedia". A smaller work in the dialogue form, the "Treatise on Consummate Perfection", is also ascribed to her, but is probably spurious. It is impossible in a few words to give an adequate conception of the manifold character and contents of the "Letters", 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 historymany of those written to private citizens, men and women in the cloister or in the world, are as fresh and illuminating, as wise and practical 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 mystical heights of contemplationa rarefied atmosphere of sanctity in which only the few privileged spirits can hope to dwell. The key-note to Catherine's teaching is that manwhether in the cloister or in the world, must ever abide in the cell of self- knowledge, which is the stable in which the traveller through time to eternity must be born again. APA citation. Gardner, E. Catherine of Siena. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. MLA citation. Gardner, Edmund. New York: Robert Appleton Company, This article was transcribed for New Advent by Lois Tesluk. Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. November 1, Remy Lafort, S. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster at newadvent. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads. About this page APA citation. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Short Biography of St Catherine of Siena | by Siena OnLine

As a young girl, Catherine often went to a cave near her home in Siena to meditate, fast, and pray. At about age The Life of St. Catherine of Siena, she claimed to have seen a vision of Jesus with Peter, Paul, and John the evangelist; then she announced to her parents her determination to live a religious life. Convinced of her devotion, they gave her a small room in the basement of their home that acted as a hermitage. This extraordinary girl blossomed into a no less extraordinary woman whose spiritual, moral, and political efforts had a lasting effect. Caterina Benincasa's birth into a middle-class Sienese wool dyer's family caused scarcely a ripple; she was the twenty-third of 25 children. Another event that year, a flea full of the bacillus Yersinia pestis entering the Italian port of Messina, brought a tidal wave of disease called the ". Baby Catherine survived the onslaught and, in adulthood, saved many plague victims through her compassionate nursing. After moving into her hermitage, she slept on a board, used a wooden log for a pillow, and meditated on her only spiritual token, a crucifix. She claimed to have received an invisible for humility stigmata by which she felt the wounds of Christ. At one time, her parents tried to persuade her to marry, but Catherine was steadfast and at age 15, she cut off her hair to thwart their designs. Catherine was not satisfied living a contemplative life; she wanted to help the poor and sick. But she did not want to be an ordinary . Through the influence of her cousin, a Dominican priest and her first , Catherine joined the of Penance later known as the Dominican Third Order in This "third way" was an organization of religious lay people who lived at home, wore distinctive dress, and directed their own activities in sacrificial service to the poor and sick. From ages 16 to 19, Catherine continued living a secluded life at home and attracted many followers, who were drawn by her feisty personality and exemplary sanctity. During this time, she learned to read and became familiar with the church fathers, like Gregory the Great and Augustine, as well as popular preachers of the day. At the end of this three-year seclusion, Catherine experienced what she later described as "spiritual marriage" to Christ. In this vision, Jesus placed a ring on her finger, and her soul attained mystical union with God. She called this state an "inner cell in her soul" that sustained her all her life as she traveled and ministered. Catherine began an active ministry to the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned of Siena. When a wave of the plague struck her hometown inmost people fled, but she and her followers stayed to nurse the ill and bury the dead. She was The Life of St. Catherine of Siena to be tireless by day and night, healing all of whom the physicians despaired; some even claimed she raised the dead. When the crisis abated, she embarked on a letter-writing ministry to convert sinners and reform the church and society. Like many reformers of the day, she was disturbed by the rampant corruption of the church, and she believed the source of the problem was the so-called Babylonian Captivity. Because of early fourteenth-century political intrigue, the papacy had moved to Avignon, . This scandalized people for two reasons: first, the papacy was divorced from the special sanctity of Rome. Second, the popes became increasingly captive to French politics and lifestyle, which were decadent and corrupt. In a series of letters, Catherine exhorted the pope to address the problems of the church and The Life of St. Catherine of Siena him to return to Rome: "Respond to the Holy Spirit who is calling you! I tell you: Come! Don't wait for time because time isn't waiting for you. It was the great moment of her public life. In her extant letters and The Dialoguewhich she referred to as "my book" and which describes her mystical experiences, she expressed her driving motivation to love God. She wrote that God told her "not to love Me for your own sake, or your neighbor for your own sake, but to love Me for myself, yourself for Myself, your neighbor for Myself. At the heart of Catherine's teaching was the image of a bleeding Christ, the Redeemer—ablaze with fiery charity, eager sacrifice, and unqualified forgiveness. And it was not the cross or nails that held Christ to the tree; those were not strong enough to hold the God-Man. It was love that held him there. She records God's words to her: "My son's nailed feet are a stair by which you can climb to his side, where you will see revealed his inmost heart. For when the soul has … looked with her mind's eye into my son's opened heart, she begins to feel the love of her own heart in his consummate and unspeakable love. Catherine died in Rome at the age of In the Roman declared her a doctor of the church, an honor bestowed on only 31 others and only one other woman. Subscribe to CT and get one year free. Sections Home. Elections - Campaign Coronavirus Racism. Subscribe Member Benefits Give a Gift. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Christian History Archives Eras Home. More People Inner Travelers. SHARE tweet link email print. Catherine of Siena. Current Issue November Subscribe. Read This Issue. Subscribe to Christianity Today and get instant access to past issues of Christian History! Today in Christian History Daily A daily newsletter featuring the most important and significant events on each day in Christian History. Christianity Today Connection Weekly Get the inside story with this official newsletter of the global media ministry. Email Address. Subscribe to The Life of St. Catherine of Siena selected newsletters. Get The Life of St. Catherine of Siena best from CT editors, The Life of St. Catherine of Siena straight to your inbox! Support our work Subscribe to CT and get one year free. Issue Catherine of Siena lived—and helped others—during the most devastating plague in human history. She lived only 33 years, but her vibrant faith and writings were so influential she has been declared a Doctor of the Church. Sign up for our Free newsletter. Give Today. Careers Media Room Follow Us. Help Contact Us My Account. Christianity Today strengthens the church by richly communicating the breadth The Life of St. Catherine of Siena the true, good, and beautiful gospel. Learn more.