She caused the return of Pope Gregory XI from Avignon to Rome (~1376). Despite her short life, she gave us a lesson in courage -- ‘of telling the truth for love of the Church and of souls’. Imprinted with the stigmata, she died in Rome at thirty-three years of age. Patroness of Italy along with St Francis of Assisi. (Fr James Socias, et al [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1514)
Pope Paul VI proclaimed her Doctor of the Church. (cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 6:201-2; 205)
Love for the Church and the Pope
St Catherine of Siena did not have a formal education (she learned to read and write as an adult). She led an extraordinarily full and fruitful life, “as if she was in a great hurry to reach the eternal tabernacle of the Blessed Trinity”. (John Paul II, “Homily in Siena”, 14 October 1980)
She is a wonderful example of love for the Church and for the Roman Pontiff, whom she described as “the sweet Christ on earth”; (St Catherine of Siena, “Letters”, Siena 1913, III, 211) and of forthrightness and courage in making herself heard by the men of her time which was particularly difficult in the Church’s history.
Rome, as the centre of Christianity, had deteriorated. Our Lord made St Catherine see the necessity for the Popes to return from Avignon to Rome and inaugurate the long-awaited urgent reform of Church life. She prayed tirelessly, did penance and wrote unceasingly to the Pope, to cardinals and to various princes of Christendom.
St Catherine always professed unswerving obedience and love for the Roman Pontiff, of whom she wrote: “Anyone who refuses to obey the Christ on earth, who is in the place of Christ in heaven, does not participate in the fruit of the blood of the Son of God.” (Idem, “Letter 207”, III, 270)
She had great respect for the Church’s pastors because “they are ministers of the blood of Christ”. (cf Paul VI, “Homily on proclaiming St Catherine a Doctor of the Church”, 4 October 1970) Let us pray to her for this fiery love for our Mother the Church, which is an indivisible closeness to Christ.
Our times, too are days of trial and sorrow for Christ’s Mystical Body. Let us offer the numerous pinpricks of daily life for the welfare of the Church. God will surely bless us and Our Lady will generously pour out his grace upon us.
Ref: cf F Fernandez, Op cit
St Catherine of Siena, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Mother’
We look at St Catherine today to admire in her what at once struck those who came close to her: ‘her extraordinarily rich humanity’. This was by no means obscured but rather was ‘increased and perfected by grace’. This made her a living image of that veracious, healthy Christian ‘humanism’, the fundamental law of which was formulated by St Catherine’s fellow Dominican and teacher, St Thomas Aquinas. His famous maxim is: “Grace does not suppress, but supposes and perfects nature.” A human with complete dimensions is one who acts in the grace of Christ ...
Our saint had a woman’s nature, abundantly endowed with fantasy, intuition, sensibility, ... readiness to give herself in service. She was transfigured, not impoverished, in the light of Christ ... and to identify mystically with him in the depths of ‘interior knowledge’; to commit herself likewise in charitable action, social, and even political action, among the great and small, the rich and the poor, the learned and the ignorant.
She, almost illiterate, became able to make herself heard, to be read, to be held in consideration by rulers of cities and realms, by princes and prelates of the Church, by monks and theologians, by many of whom she was actually venerated as ‘teacher’ and ‘mother’.
The daughter of humble dyers showed how she could hearken to the voice of the one Shepherd and Teacher and nourish herself at the table of the Divine Spouse, to whom, as a ‘wise virgin’, she generously consecrated her life.
This was a masterpiece of grace, renewing and elevating the creature to perfection of holiness ...
Ref: cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, pp173-4
“Except I shall see in His hands ...”
The appearance of Jesus to his apostles on the day of his resurrection filled them with joy, consolation, and courage. They became perfectly happy except Thomas who was absent when they assembled for prayer.
Whoever isolates himself from his brethren; or is absent from their activities without good reason, risks losing many graces and special favors; even of falling into sin. Indeed, whoever is absent from spiritual exercises without valid reason, loses special graces that God bestows on activities made in common. He is not where God wishes him to be.
Besides the fault of leaving his companions, Thomas was guilty of the most obstinate unbelief. Though the apostles, disciples, holy women, and probably our Blessed Lady, assured him their Divine Master was risen, that they had seen, heard, and touched him, he rejected their testimony. He firmly refused to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
A fault is generally followed by a second, worse than the first; and the second, by a third, worse again than the preceding. Avarice had led Judas to his ruin. Pride, about to cause the fall of Thomas, led him to think himself more enlightened, and alone persisted in not believing.
This intolerable pride brought great presumption. “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, I will not believe.” (Jn 20:25) He dictated the conditions about his Master’s resurrection.
We are justly shocked at the conduct of Thomas, but let us beware. If this apostle, who had spent three years with our Divine Lord, could thus err from over-confidence, we must act and speak with great prudence.
How often are we wanting in it? Let us thank our Lord for having preserved us from the consequences of our indiscretion and pride. Let us renew our resolve to be modest and circumspect in keeping our opinions, especially when they are contrary to the prevailing one.
Ref: cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp232-4
Our Lady of Faith, at the Augustinian convent of Amiens. This image remained a long time in the cabinet of a young lady who made a present of it to the church of the Augustinians, where it has wrought many miracles. — Angustinian Manuscripts, Amiens. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com)
Our Lady of Faith. Augustinian Church, Amiens, France. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
Our Lady of Faith, Amiens, France. (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
Our Lady, Queen of Orphans. Celebrated by Somaschians. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
Our Lady of the Earthquake (Quito, Ecuador). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html) [NB: see 28,30 April]
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