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Also known as: Catharine
of Siena
Memorial: 29 April; (formerly 30 April)
Profile
Youngest child in a large family. At the age of 6 she had a vision in
which Jesus appeared and blessed her. Her parents wanted her to marry, but
she became a Dominican tertiary. Mystic. Stigmatist. Received a vision in
which she was in a mystical marriage with Christ, and the Infant Christ
presented her with a wedding ring. Counselor to Pope Gregory XI and Pope
Urban VI. Proclaimed Doctor of the Church on 4 October 1970.
Born: 25 March 1347 at Siena, Tuscany, Italy
Died: 29 April 1380 of a mysterious and painful illness that came on
without notice, and was never properly diagnosed
Canonized: 1461 by Pope Pius II
Name Meaning: pure one
Patronage
against fire, bodily ills, Europe, fire prevention, firefighters, illness,
Italy, miscarriages, nurses, nursing services, people ridiculed for their
piety, sexual temptation, sick people, sickness, Siena Italy, temptations
Representation: cross; heart; lily; ring; stigmata
Readings
Charity is the sweet and holy bond which links the soul with its Creator:
it binds God with man and man with God.
-Saint Catherine of Siena
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Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea, you could give me no
greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning
and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills
my being. Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates
the mind with its light, and causes me to know your truth. And I know that
you are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, you gave yourself to
man in the fire of your love.
-from On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena
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Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God
does nothing without this goal in mind.
-Saint Catherine of Siena
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