April 29, 2019 - St. Catherine of Siena - Speak the Word of God with Boldness

The Saints give us a special glimpse into what it looks like when Easter Faith permeates one’s life. Some of the saints of course become great evangelists, like St. Paul, St. Dominic, and St. Francis. Some lives are filled with abundant charity like St. Vincent de Paul, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Mother Theresa. Some were filled with mystical phenomena, like St. Padre Pio, St Margaret Mary, St. Bernadette. Some, were filled with all these things and more. Such was the life of the Saint we honor today, St. Catherine of Siena.

As a member of the Order of Preachers, Catherine was prolific in her evangelizing efforts, writing 382 letters, prayers, and a treatise entitled the Dialogue of Divine Providence.

Her life was filled with extraordinary mystical phenomena such as visions and revelations, raptures, mystical marriage, and the stigmata, and also great works of charity: nursing the sick and comforting prisoners in jail. She received the holy stigmata on her hands, feet and heart.  Catherine, also lived many years, eating nothing, save the flesh and blood of Christ in the Eucharist.  Catherine also had the gift of tears, as the Lord wept at the death of Lazarus, those with the gift of tears weep in union with the sorrowful Christ for the souls of sinners.

St. Catherine’s body is also totally incorrupt, and is preserved in the beautiful gothic basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome.  I visited her a few times in that amazing basilica.  I also had the honor of attending Mass on, this, her feast day, in the small chapel behind the sacristy of the basilica. 

During her life, the Pope, instead of residing in Rome, resided in Avignon, France.  Rightly, St. Catherine prayed for the return of the Pope to Rome. She wrote him letters pleading with Him to return to the Holy See.  She would attend Mass make a daily pilgrimage from that small chapel to St. Peter Basilica in the Vatican.  Catherine lived to see Pope Gregory XI move the See of Peter back to Rome, in 1377.

This great saint died in Rome in 1380. Even though she barely reached the age of thirty-three her accomplishments place her among the great women of the Middle Ages.  She was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius II in 1461. In 1970, Pope Paul VI declared St. Catherine a Doctor of the Church.

“Preach the Truth as if you had a million voices,” she said. “It is silence that kills the world.” What an important message as we contemplate our Easter mission to preach the risen Christ. The love of God, Catherine cultivated in prayer enabled her, Like Peter and John in the first reading today, to “speak the word of God with boldness”. May we imitate her example and know the benefit of her heavenly intercession, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.
For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ, especially for all victims of religious violence.

For our parish, that we may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ.

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.