Catherine’s Avignon Mission: Coloring History

April 29th, is the feast of a great Saint in the Catholic Church! Saint Catherine of Siena is one of the first two female Doctors of the church, meaning that her writings, including the mystical The Dialogue, her prayers, and her letters, have special authority in Roman Catholicism.

Why is she so important? Here are 6 fun facts to know about her and her life!

1. St. Catherine of Siena (1347–1380) lived for 33 years, as many of the great Saints in the Church did.
2. She was the 24th of 25 children in her family!
3. At 16, she had a vision of St. Dominic and was motivated to enter the Third Order of the Dominicans, the lay branch of the Dominicans.
4. She played a role in ending the Avignon papacy (when Pope Gregory XI, though still the bishop of Rome, lived in Avignon, France), effectively urging him to return to Rome.
5. At 19, In a vision that was ever present in Catherine’s heart and mind, Our Lady presented her to Jesus, who gave her a splendid ring, saying to her, ‘I, your Creator and Saviour, espouse you in the faith, that you will keep ever pure until you celebrate your eternal nuptials with me in Heaven’ (Bl. Raimondo da Capua, S. Caterina da Siena, Legenda maior, n. 115, Siena 1998).
6. According to Raymond of Capua (her spiritual guide), who passed on the confidences Catherine received, the Lord Jesus appeared to her, “holding in his holy hands a human heart, bright red and shining.” He opened her side and put the heart within her, saying, ‘Dearest daughter, as I took your heart away from you the other day, now, you see, I am giving you mine so that you can go on living with it forever’ (ibid.).

Here is a litany dedicated to her, which I invite you to pray on her feast day, asking for patience and strength against temptations:

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 after 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 patience,

Model of humility,

Lily of chastity,

Vessel of graces,

Zealous promoter of the honor of God,

Luster of holiness,

Example of mildness,

Glory of the Order of Preachers,

Fruitful 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 celestial nuptials,

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, patience to overcome the assault of evil spirits and to stand unshaken in the love of your Name. Grant we beseech you, that after 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.

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