April 29: Saint Catherine of Siena / Santa Catalina de Siena

Saint Catherine was, as we might say today, “a force to be reckoned with!” She was brave, prayerful, persistent, selfless, a mystic, and was later given the title Doctor of the Church. She became a Third Order Dominican, making vows, but not living in a Dominican convent.

Although very devoted and joyful, she was saddened by seeing the Church in her day suffering so much. It was she who persuaded Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from Avignon, France, insisting that the Pope’s place was "beside the bones of the martyrs." Shortly after his return, Pope Gregory died. He was succeeded by Pope Urban VI who turned out to be, by most accounts, a disastrous Pope. The cardinals regretted their decision and elected a second Pope, but could not persuade Pope Urban to retire. The Church now had two rival Popes, one in Rome and one in Avignon, an unfortunate situation that was to last for several decades.

Saint Catherine remained faithful to Pope Urban, in spite of his faults, because he had been duly elected. She was convinced that this wound in the body of Christ could only be healed by great sacrifice. She prayed that she might atone for the sins of the Church, and shortly afterwards collapsed and died, at 33 years of age.

Saint Catherine stood out as a beacon of light in a dark time. That is the same calling which each one of us has received. We are called to heed the Lord’s invitation, “Come to me, all who labor and are burdened.” It is, indeed, the Lord who calls out to us to come to Him, to know Him, and to love Him – as He loves us.

Saint Catherine, pray for us!

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¡Qué personalidad tan rica! Esta mujer valerosa, Santa Catalina, llegó a ser Doctor de la Iglesia. Terciaria Dominica, era en Siena la líder de una especie de “movimiento carismático,” con un estilo de vida totalmente Evangélico. 

Aunque muy agradable y alegre, se sentía muy triste al ver a la Iglesia sufriendo, porque el Papa Gregorio XI con sus cardenales se había trasladado de Roma a Aviñón, Francia, lo que finalmente condujo al así llamado “Cisma de Occidente,” que dividió a la Iglesia por mucho tiempo, con Papas y anti-papas. Ella fue personalmente al Papa, le regañó “por su falta de visión” y le convenció de volver a Roma. En Santa Catalina encontramos a una persona absolutamente excepcional que fue: asceta, mística, carismática, estigmatizada, y Doctora de la Iglesia.

Oremos. “Oh Dios poderoso y sapientísimo, te pedimos que, como Santa Catalina de Siena, saquemos fortaleza, sabiduría, y celo de un intenso contacto contigo por medio de una vida sobria, oración profunda, y contemplación de la Cruz. Haznos lo bastante audaces y resueltos para confrontar con valentía aun a los poderosos de este mundo y de la Iglesia, con humilde fortaleza que sólo busca el bien del Pueblo de Dios. Te lo pedimos por Cristo nuestro Señor. Amén.”