St Catherine was born in Siena, Italy in 1347. She was the 13th child of parents Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa. From a young age she was a deeply spiritual person and her objective was to completely surrender herself to Christ but had the insight that this would be a process and require much time in contemplation and prayer. She joined the Dominican Third Order, which was men and women, singles and couples living a Christian life with a Dominican spirituality in the secular world. She then spent a period of time in seclusion, austerity and from this contemplative way of life sprang an active public apostolate in which she cared for the poor, sick and vulnerable.
She was an ascetic and mystic and the supernatural embraced all aspects of her life which enabled her to care so passionately for others and infused her with great judgement to successfully bring about peace and reconciliation between those at enmity with each other. She also supported Pope Urban VI in Rome, against Clement and then against Benedict XIII who had set themselves up as Popes in Avignon, France, seeking unity in the church. However she did not hesitate to reprove Pope Urban VI for his faults and frailties but always remained loyal to him.
St Catherine of Siena has left us a number of writings which are full of great wisdom and spiritual direction and orthodox doctrine. She died in 1380 and was canonised in 1461. Pope Paul VI on the 4th of October 1970 made her the Second Women Doctor of the church, the first being St Teresa of Avila( St Teresa of Jesus)on 27th September 1970. St Theresa of Liseiux being the third on 19th October 1997 and St Hildegard of Bingen the last on 7th October 2012. This title means that the church recognises these saints as having made a significant contribution to theology or doctrine through their research, study, or writings.
St Catherine said “To sin is human but to persist in sin is devilish” and “Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with light of true discretion, without which the soul is worth nothing”
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