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.” (St Catherine of Siena, “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, “In Conversation with God”, 6:201-2; 205
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 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
‘For God all the glory’
“Am I seeking human approval or God’s? ... If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Gal 1:10) “It is a very small thing that you should judge me ... The Lord alone is my judge.” (1 Cor 4:3-4)
“Among the surprises which await us on the day of judgment, not least will be the silence with which Our Lord will greet those actions of ours which merited the applause of men ... On the other hand it can happen that he will weigh in positive terms some actions which have drawn down criticism and censorship upon us ...” (G Chevrot, “In Secret”)
A wrong intention destroys the best of actions: the deed can be well done, it can even be beneficial; but, since it is corrupted at source, it loses all value in the eyes of God. Vanity or self-seeking can destroy, sometimes completely, what could have been a deed meriting holiness. Without a right intention, we go astray.
Occasionally, receiving some praise is a sign of friendship and can help along the way of goodness. But this praise must be directed towards God in all simplicity. Besides, it is one thing to receive a word of praise, a sign of being well received; another thing is to look for praise. We must always be careful when we are praised or commended.
“Since many times our poor soul goes off the right path, as soon as it is applauded ... thus it finds its delight more in being called happy than in actually being so. And that thing which should have been a reason for praising God becomes instead a cause of our separation from him.” (St Gregory the Great, “Moralia”, 10, 47-8)
God accepts our actions, even small ones, if we offer them to him with a pure intention. “Do everything for the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10:31) The two small coins that the poor widow put into the box in the Temple (cf Mk 12:42) became a great treasure in heaven. We have a marvellous aspiration to say repeatedly: “Lord, for myself I want nothing. All for your glory and for Love.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 788)
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:394-7
• 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. — Augustinian Manuscripts, Amiens. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Faith (in the Augustinian Church of Amiens, France). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Faith, Amiens, France. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Our Lady Queen of Orphans. Celebrated by the 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.]
• Apparition of Our Lady to St Bonet, Bishop of Clermont in Auvergne, whom she ordered to say mass one night when he had remained in the church to pray. The saint leaning against a pillar, as if to hide himself, the stone became soft and made the place for him, which is seen to this day. But the Blessed Virgin having obliged him to officiate, she left him when mass was over, the chasuble which had been brought him by angels to celebrate in. The heavenly present is still to be seen at Clermont, where it is preserved with great care. — See his Life in Surius, Jan. 15. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Apparition of Our Lady to St Bonet (7th Century). (/www/divinewill.org/feastofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Our Lady, the Source of Life (Zoodochos Pighi). Turkey. 14th Century church. Moveable feast -- Friday after Easter. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady, the Source of Life (Constantinople). Moveable feast -- Friday after Easter. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
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