Mystic, mediator, counselor to popes, Doctor of the Church, third order Dominican, virgin, stigmatist, saint--St. Catherine of Siena had quite a resume! She dedicated herself to God through the Dominican order as a lay member. She was not a cloistered nun and could travel. That was helpful, because as she became known as a holy woman, she gathered disciples and went around Italy to help resolve conflicts. She was also sent to Avignon, France to convince the pope to return to Rome after the papacy was away for almost 70 years. She received the stigmata, which are the wounds similar to Christ's wounds from the cross, but they were hidden from view.
As a Doctor of the Church, St. Catherine is known for her book, The Dialogues, which came to her in a vision. In that vision God spoke to her about prayer and the importance of love and the necessity of charity and the joy of the Eucharist and how we can resist temptation. She is one of 36 Doctors of the Church, four of whom are women.
St. Catherine's way of dealing with people was both blunt and sophisticated. She would let popes know what she believed to be God's way and would challenge them to follow it. But she also prayed extensively and advised people on how they could lead holy lives. We need to adapt Jesus' message of love to those whom we are witnessing. We may need to be forthright in some situations and subtle in others. Prudential judgment needs to guide us to be the best fishers of men. St. Catherine of Siena, pray for us.
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